Three-time World Champion, four-time Grand Prix Champion, 2010 Winter Olympic champion and leader of the Chinese Figure Skating Association. That’s right: sitting in front of me was Shen Xue, the most decorated female figure skater in China.
For 14-year-old me, this opportunity was the culmination of my seven years of dedication and passion for figure skating.
The moment I saw her, even the tips of my toes were nervous and excited. Fortunately, I did not forget the courtesy greeting.
When we sat down, I was still nervous. Before I had said any opening remarks, a few words jumped out of my mouth: “What were you like when you were 14?”
Faced with my direct and abrupt question, Shen didn’t mind
“When I was 14, I was still practicing figure skating in Harbin. It was that year that my teacher selected me to practice pairs skating with Zhao Hongbo. At that time, Zhao was already the champion of the Asian Games and the National Games for pairs, and in terms of skill, he had surpassed the other athletes on the team by a large margin. At that time, Zhao was facing the challenge of changing partners. If he did not find the right match, he would retire and go back to school. However, I was still a rookie when it came to pairs skating.”
Shen was in awe of former champion Zhao.
“I remember very clearly: I didn’t speak to him for almost a month. He would just tell me how to do some moves, and I would just do them,” she recalled. “I remember every Saturday he was allowed to go home for rest in the afternoon. I had to stay and practice jumps over and over again, in order to shorten the gap between myself and him as soon as possible.
In essence, she had to put in double the effort: in addition to the coach’s training, she also had to accept the training tasks assigned by “Coach Zhao”. The rigorous daily training and the gap between her and her partner did not discourage her – instead it strengthened her resolve. This was her first step on the road towards the world championship. “We won the first China national championship after four months of cooperation.”
At this moment, I couldn’t control the excitement in my heart. “How did you overcome difficulties to go on to win the world championship?”
Shen smiled understandingly. “I am a person without ambitious goals,” she said. “I just hope to accomplish every small goal at present, especially to overcome my past and present self.
“Before we became world champions, we won second place or third place many times, for about three or four years,” Shen said with a slight self-deprecation. “I thought at that time I might never win a world championship!”
Looking at the resolute gaze from Shen, a 14-year-old girl suddenly appeared in my mind. She was skating and jumping tirelessly on the rink alone, pursuing her small goal. Suddenly she raised her head up and her eyes were full of resolute perseverance, and she continued working hard for her own youth and life without regret.
About the Author
Huihua Lulu Zhou is a high school student at WAB. she loves writing, skating, hiking and cooking. She initiated the Winter Olympic theme report campaign at WAB to help increase her fellow students’ understanding of winter sports through interviewing Olympic athletes.
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