Editor's note: The translators DUO Renyue and  ZHU Xuehan are students of School of Foreign Languages and Literature of Beijing Normal University.

On the evening of February 14, Xu Mengtao won the gold medal in her most familiar sport—— women’s freestyle skiing aerials, in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

After winning the championship, she screamed into the cold air and embraced her opponent with tears because of happiness.

From her first show in Vancouver 2010 to her championship in the Beijing 2022, Xu has waited for 12 years.

This time, she could fully submerge herself in the victory.

Back to the evening of February 10, at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, there was warmth of spring in the cold wind.

In freestyle skiing mixed team aerials, China’s Jia Zongyang, who was the second on the team to jump in the final round, made a mistake while landing. So Team China’s Jia Zongyang and Qi Guangpu and woman Xu Mengtao clinched the silver medal.

When Jia Zongyang finished his moves and walked to the result-waiting area, Xu Mengtao who has already been waiting there gave Jia a warm hug.

This hug was beyond words.

Xu Mengtao in competition.

“There is nothing to be afraid of because we are together. We share our ups and downs together.” Xu Mengtao said so after the competition, and there rose a stream of warmth in everyone’s heart.

The past time has taught her that success was not as easy as she imagined.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is Xu Mengtao’s fourth time competing in the Winter Olympics. The 31-year-old veteran only lacks a gold medal in the Winter Olympics in her honour list.

On the evening of February 14, her dream finally came true.

Xu Mengtao celebrated her championship after the competition. Photograph: Cui Yujia/CNS

A “Snow Princess” from a barbecue stall

Xu first met with skiing.

Xu Mengtao’s father is a sports fan, and it is his lifelong dream to practice gymnastics, become a professional athlete and stand on the Olympic podium.

When Father discovered his daughter’s good flexibility, he devoted himself to training her to become a professional athlete.

At that time, Xu’s family made a living by setting up a barbecue stall, so their economic situation was not good. His father made a simple training ground to help her training.

Since the age of 4, Xu Mengtao followed Zhang Liping, a coach of Anshan Military Sports School, to practice gymnastics. She was selected to the Liaoning Provincial gymnastics team at the age of eight with excellent savvy.

At the 9th Sports meeting of Liaoning Province in 2002, 12-year-old Xu Mengtao won 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. But at that time, she was more than 1.60 meters tall and had few advantages in continuing to practice gymnastics.

So that year, Xu’s father sent her to Chen Hongbin, a teacher at Shenyang Sport University and head coach of the National Team at the time, and Xu began to engage in freestyle skiing.

Xu Mengtao’s life has changed and a “Snow Princess” was born.

Xu Mengtao in competition. Photograph: Fu Tian/CNS

As a definitely gifted athlete

Xu showed her brilliant talents.

After switching to freestyle skiing aerials, Xu made amazing progress and soon showed her talents.

In 2007, Xu Mengtao won the first freestyle skiing aerials champion for China at the World Youth Championships.

In 2009, she won her first World Cup champion in Moscow.

Therefore, she became a new star enjoying great popularity in freestyle skiing aerials of Team China.

Time flies. 19-year-old Xu Mengtao took part in her first Winter Olympics.

Xu Mengtao in competition.

The Four-time Olympian

In 2010,

at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, in the final of the women’s aerials, competing against formidable rivals for the gold medal, young Xu Mengtao made a mistake in her second jump and ended up in sixth place.      

“I’m here to fight for the gold medal. Give me four more years, and I can definitely win it.” At that time, Xu Mengtao was ambitious and had great confidence in her future.

In 2014,

Xu Mengtao skied back into action at the Sochi Winter Olympics. In four years, she had gained more experience and become more mature.

On the evening of February 14, local time, accelerating, jumping into the air, performing flips and twists, and landing in one smooth motion, Xu Mengtao won the silver medal with 83.50 points in the women’s aerials final.

After winning her first silver medal at the Winter Olympics, Xu Mengtao was not satisfied. “I’m going to hide this silver medal and won’t take it out until I get a gold one. I’ve won many gold medals in other competitions, all of which are in a display case at home, but none of them can compare to the Olympic gold medal.”

She aspires, one day, to have her own Olympic gold medal hanging on the wall at home.

In the PyeongChang 2018,

Xu Mengtao competed in the Winter Olympics for the third time. By this time she was in top form in terms of skills and mentality.

After making a ruthless decision to herself before the competition, “If I don’t get this gold medal, I’ll retire”, she walked onto the field without hesitation.

However, Fates played a joke on her once again.

In the second jump, Xu Mengtao made a mistake and fell on her landing, which was heartbreaking.

She missed out on the gold medal once again.

After the match, Xu Mengtao couldn’t hold back her tears. “I don’t want to cry, but I have really done my best. It’s been a quite hard journey, and I really wanted to win this gold medal!”

Shortly after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Xu Mengtao announced her retirement on social media.

She used to keep her word, but this time she broke it. She wanted to fight for her dream one more time.

Xu Mengtao is making arm heart after the match.

Inescapable Injuries for Athletes

Xu Mengtao’s career is bedevilled by injuries.

Over the years, on her way to growing up as an athlete, Xu Mengtao has always suffered from injuries.

Time went by and left her with constant injury problems.

“She has torn ligaments in both legs twice and gone through four major operations. Her first serious injury was at the age of 19, and shortly after recovering from it, she competed in the Vancouver Winter Olympics with a steel nail in her knee that had not been removed ......” Xu Mengtao’s father lists the injuries she has suffered.

People call Xu Mengtao a “genius”, but behind this fame are shocking injury diagnoses: torn anterior cruciate ligament, sprained medial collateral ligament, deformed posterior horn of medial meniscus, multiple bone bruises, joint effusion and so on.

Every time when she was soaring up into the air, her parents, who watched her on television, were worried. Her parents wanted her to retire, but Xu refused, and she persevered through the darkest moments of injuries.

It is hard to imagine that Xu Mengtao, who is so optimistic and smiling, has suffered so many injuries.

On February 11, the medal presentation ceremony for the mixed team aerials at the Beijing Winter Olympics was held. Chinese players Jia Zongyang (centre), Xu Mengtao (left) and Qi Guangpu (right) are at the medal presentation ceremony. Photograph: Zhai Yujia/CNS

Achieving her dream in Beijing

Xu Mengtao made her dream come true at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

“From 2018 to now, I have moved forward step by step, without giving up every bit of effort.”

After all the setbacks, Xu Mengtao is still determined to move forward. It is her unshakeable love for skiing that has brought her this far.

Xu Mengtao never gives up when she encounters failure. She is not willing to accept her fate and is eager to change it through her own efforts.

“I hope to show my best performance and make the perfect jump at the Beijing Winter Olympics!” said Xu Mengtao.

In 2022,

Xu Mengtao, who failed to win the gold medal in the mixed team aerials, is still striving for her dream.

In the daytime women’s aerials qualifying round on February 14, Xu Mengtao finally broke out with 101.10 points. In the competition, she remained as confident as she was 12 years ago.

She was eager for a breakthrough. After all, she had waited too long for this gold medal.

On the night of February 14, 2022, Xu Mengtao once again flew into the sky in the women’s aerials final.

This time, she finally achieved her dream.

From a “talented girl” to a veteran, Xu Mengtao has always been confident and resilient.

The night was destined to belong to this skier who loves skiing so much.

http://www.chinanews.com.cn/ty/2022/02-15/9676266.shtml