Hulunbuir, China Youth Daily, February 20 (China Youth Daily, China Youth Network reporter Cixin) 34-year-old Ba Dexin and 31-year-old Jiang Yilun, both of whom have been away from the field for three or four years, have also become university teachers after retiring. When they returned to the field and participated in the "14th Winter" because of their love for curling, they never even thought that they would win the championship. However, the rich experience of the tournament and the calm mentality helped the veterans to have the last laugh in the "14 Winters" curling mixed doubles final that ended this morning.
Ba Dexin Jiang Yilun in today's game. Photo by Ci Xin, a reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network.
The final was between Ba Dexin Jiang Yilun and young opponents Wang Zhiyu and Zhu Ze Yangxu, and the match was very close. The two sides ended in a draw and the game went to extra time. At this time, Wang Zhiyu, who was under heavy pressure, made a fatal mistake, and Ba Dexin and Jiang Yilun, who played steadily, finally won the championship.
Ba Dexin and Jiang Yilun, who used to be the main force of the Chinese national curling team, still have strength, but it is somewhat surprising that this pair of veterans who have been away from the field for a long time won the mixed doubles championship of this Winter Games. In fact, at the beginning of this competition, Ba Dexin and Jiang Yilun were once on the verge of being out. At the beginning of the game, Ba Dexin and Jiang Yilun suffered two consecutive defeats, and Ba Dexin recalled that there was a lot of pressure at that time, after all, he was in a dilemma where he couldn't lose again. Thankfully, the two veterans quickly figured out their problems and worked their way up to today's final.
Ba Dexin Jiang Yilun high-fived the victory after the game. Photo by Ci Xin, a reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network.
"Although we have been away from the arena for three or four years, we have not left curling. After retiring from the army, Ba Dexin worked as a physical education teacher at Harbin Institute of Physical Education, and Jiang Yilun worked as a physical education teacher at Harbin Institute of Technology. Usually, both of them give curling lessons to their students, and they maintain a certain amount of training.
The feeling of the arena is indeed a little unfamiliar, Ba Dexin said, after all, it has not been a few years since he participated, "we are in this competition to get back the feeling of the game little by little", which may also be a reason for the two of them to "drive low and go high".
The work revolves around curling, and there is a kind of attachment to the curling field, which made them both gladly accept the opportunity to participate in the "Fourteenth Winter" a year ago.
Ba Dexin, who won the championship, was excited. Photo by Ci Xin, a reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network.
But this year's preparation for the game was not easy for the two veterans. Jiang Yilun sighed: "We have broken through many difficulties. But courage and determination to defy the odds are also valuable qualities of the two veterans, and Ba Dexin said, just like today's final, we were ready for the toughest and told ourselves that we were going to fight until the last minute, and we enjoyed the process.
It's not uncommon for veterans to emerge from international curling, and there are even grandmother-level players. Ba Dexin Jiang Yilun's victory may be an opportunity for Chinese curling to open the door to veterans. Ba Dexin also bluntly said that he did not think about continuing to challenge next year's Asian Winter Games or even the Milan Winter Olympics, but if there is a chance, we may participate in the next competitions and go to more arenas.
*: China Youth Daily client.