Chinese Skating News, Pt. 3: A long & winding road to Beijing 2022

[Doggygirl]

Okay, a rough skate for Boyang. But he gave it his all. I can see he is trying to develop the style he explore with 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. I think it does work for him. He is not a particularly graceful or lyrical skater, but I find he does have a certain sensitivity to the music and this this genre works for him much as rock'n'roll worked for Kevin Reyonlds. For lack of a better word, there is a certain innocence to Boyang's skating. He's exuberant, he's committed, but he's not polished nor refined or much of an artiste. But there is authenticity there, and I can feel him reaching out to touch the music and draw it in to his performance.

I think Boyang could do well with this program given lots of more mileage. It has potential as an Olympic program, actually - such an iconic and evocative song. And I think Boyang gets it, as he did 'My Guitar' - in way he never would with classical music.

Goodness, I me some Boing Boing (Kurt Browning's nickname for Boyang).

Late catching up on this thread, but ITA with your sentiments! I vote for Olympic year programs of SP=My Guitar and FS=House of Rising Sun..... Total rock and f*ck the lyrical stuff!

 

[Gris]

Feb. 4 is the one-year countdown of Beijing 2022 and some National team members were asked to write a letter to themselves one year later. National team's official Weibo account posted some interviews about that on that day:

Hengxin Jin

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Hengxin: Fighting. Winning is only possible through fighting.

Q: How's your training currently?
Hengxin: My gliding and performance skills have improved over this year. Biggest difficulty is the triple Axel. I do some individual jumps in the morning, combo jumps and triple Axel in the afternoon and steps in the evening.

Q: Some words for yourself?
Hengxin: I hope I can keep fighting and try to be at the Olympics.

Yudong Chen

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Yudong: Full steam ahead! Beijing 2022 is near and I'm giving everything for the preparation, hopefully can get my spot. I'll fight hard.

Q: What's your first Senior season like?
Yudong: Everything is new. The newness is unique. Senior competition is full of 'elder brothers and sisters', my seniors. As their junior I learn from them.

Q: Your biggest growth and change during this year?
Yudong: The biggest growth is I've learned to do two kinds of quads and have put them in programs. I've also landed them quite well. This is my biggest breakthrough.

Q: Your preparation plan next?
Yudong: To welcome the Olympics with my best form and upgraded layout. I want to perform the programs in my own way because that's what I like. I'll also include some Chinese style elements.

Q: How to define your way of performing?
Yudong: From my perspective, I want the audience to be happy. If others are happy then I'll be happy too, won't I?

Q: Beijing 2022 is approaching. Do you feel any changes happening?
Yudong: The mood and atmosphere are getting tight since it's one year left. So I need to be careful not to injure myself while upgrading layout during training.

Q: Your plan in the following year?
Yudong: I plan to stabilize my quads and learn new quads and put them in the programs.

Q: A wish for Beijing 2022 and yourself?
Yudong: I hope Beijing 2022 can be held smoothly and my 'elder siblings' can have good results. I also hope I can be there too and win honor for the country.

Hong Chen and Zhuoming Sun

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Hong: Growth. Growth from all aspects, professionality, specialty and how to deal with the outside.
Zhuoming: Gratefulness. Hope our friends, coaches, leaders and everyone who support us can be happy in the new year. I've written 'no regret' in the letter. 2021 is only one year away from the Olympics, and our final stretch to the Games too. I hope we can try harder and harder and make progress step by step in these 365 days.

Q: Your biggest growth and change in this Olympic cycle?
Zhuoming: I'm calmer in thinking and more patient towards myself and training. I also work harder than before and know how to cherish everything I have now better.
Hong: I feel we've matured a lot in our partnership. We learn from and discuss with each other.

Q: Biggest possible challenge?
Zhuoming: I think my injuries are part of the challenge as I need to overcome them both physically and mentally. I hope to improve more without disrupting our normal training.
Hong: Hope to improve more in musicality and dancing skills.

Q: Thoughts about new programs?
Hong: We're thinking about this from every perspective. We want to push ourselves, not to skate to the same kind of 'emotional' music every year. But the music is indeed difficult to choose so we're discussing with our foreign coaches.

Q: A wish for Beijing 2022 and yourselves?
Zhuoming: Make the best of every day, like it's the competition day at the Olympics.
Hong: Wish everything can go smoothly at Beijing 2022 and we can be there.
Zhuoming: I wish Beijing 2022 can be even more impressive than Beijing 2008, and we can realize our Olympic dream.

Hongyi Chen

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Hongyi: Expectation. I've been on the ice for 10+ years and this last year is important. I've written about the expectation for myself. No matter whether I'm there or not, or whether my result is satisfactory or not, I hope I won't regret my decisions since I've fought hard. And that would be okay. This is the expectation I have for myself.

Q: Imagine what would be like on the Olympic ice one year later?
Hongyi: First I'd be excited. I started figure skating in 2008, at that time just for leisure. I remember then, watching the Summer Olympics, I felt the athletes were so far away. Never thought that now, with my own efforts, I'm at least an Olympic hopeful, just like those I felt unreachable before. Secondly I hope I can show what I'm capable of in the trainings during the competition, so I won't have any regrets.

Q: Your plan in the following year?
Hongyi: First, to improve my technical elements. Ladies' Singles is at its peak in the world now. I hope to improve my difficulty, stability and also performance. I'm from Beijing and 2022 Olympics is at home, I wish I can impress the Chinese audience. This season I've chosen Chinese style in music and performing, I hope to improve my performance ability in this style too. If I can be at Beijing 2022, hopefully I can leave you a deep impression.

Shiyue Wang and Xinyu Liu

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Shiyue: Original aspiration, courage and resoluteness. Because if you want to carry on anything, the aspiration at first cannot be changed. And sticking to one thing is not easy, I think you need to be brave enough.
Xinyu: Dream. It's related to the next season, the Olympic season. Hope to realize my dream at the Olympics.

Q: Your biggest growth and change in this Olympic cycle?
Xinyu: Compared to before I think I've matured. We went to Montreal, Canada to train during the past two seasons, I feel I've known what I want, what we lack and how to improve better through training with foreign coaches and living there.

Q: Biggest possible challenge?
Shiyue: I think it's on psychological side. Because there will be pressure when you really want success. While this gives you motivation in training, it also generates negativity. Once you stress yourself too much things won't be in control. So we hope we can balance things well, doing our best and keeping a healthy mindset.

Q: How to deal with the huge pressure of the Olympics?
Shiyue: I think our mentality will definitely change. It's at our home country and a lot of responsibility and expectation are on us. I think we have to give everything and make our best effort at the Olympics.

Q: Imagine what would be like on the Olympic ice one year later?
Shiyue: I imagine myself would be calm when on the ice. Apart from that I'd also be excited. A quiet me would be surrounded by a cheering crowd, like two different worlds.
Xinyu: When you're on the ice, what you need to do is the things you've done in daily training. I try to show the best of myself.

Q: Your plan in the following year?
Shiyue: As a start we'll choreograph the new programs. We two have had many thoughts and suggestions in mind and have discussed with our coaches. I think this is the first step. Then we need to polish them and urge ourselves to work harder.

Q: A wish for Beijing 2022 and yourselves?
Shiyue: Hope Beijing 2022 will be a great success and the world will see Chinese power.
Xinyu: Hope we can skate two programs that both us and the audience will be pleased with at home.

Cheng Peng and Yang Jin

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Yang: Expectation, dream and future.
Cheng: To do my best, not pleased by gains or saddened by losses. (note: that's a Chinese idiom)
Yang: It will be a very important moment for everyone including me one year later. The moment will be my dream and expectation.
Cheng: I think only by doing my best I can live up to my youth and those who have helped and sacrificed for us.

Q: Your biggest growth and change in this Olympic cycle?
Yang: 2022 will be our sixth year together. We've both matured a lot, different from us at the beginning, that's our biggest gain so far. And we've felt our profound changes too.
Cheng: I think the biggest growth is in our mindset. Because you can improve technical ability by training but mentality is something you need to adjust yourself. A positive mindset is key to success in both daily life and training.

Q: How to deal with the huge pressure of the Olympics?
Yang: Of course there will be pressure, that's the case for all athletes. But I think pressure will also be the best opportunity for us. We should give everything in our preparation, fulfilling our mission and leaving no regret.

Q: What do you think of returning to Capital Indoor Stadium once again?
Cheng: It's both familiar and unfamiliar to us and I think others would feel the same. Familiar because it's still the stadium we've known, unfamiliar because of its entirely new decoration.

Q: Your plan in the following year?
Cheng: I believe there will be a lot of stress and challenges waiting for us, but I hope we won't be afraid and can train with positivity everyday.
Yang: Don't be afraid of the risk and full steam ahead.
Cheng: I hope in the following year until the Olympics, I can look down to reflect and look up to do my best, not pleased by gains or saddened by losses. To be the best Cheng Peng.

Boyang Jin

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Boyang: Smooth. I hope my new year will be smooth and I can complete the elements I want to consistently. Then I hope to skate both programs consistently and smoothly at the Olympics.

Q: Your biggest growth and change in this Olympic cycle?
Boyang: I'm more chilled on the ice and know what I want better in training. I've known myself better and have matured. I think about my elements more calmly and rationally now during the competition.

Q: What do you think of returning to Capital Indoor Stadium once again?
Boyang: My first Senior competition was there and I landed the jumps I had wanted to then. I think the Capital Indoor Stadium is a lucky place for Team China so hoping it can bring us luck. We're also familiar with this stadium and the surroundings in the Haidian District. We need to work harder to show ourselves.

Q: Imagine what would be like on the Olympic ice one year later?
Boyang: I think I will be excited and shocked. The General Secretary's attention for us and support for winter sports encouraged us, and we need to be more motivated to pay the country back and win honor.

Q: A wish for Beijing 2022 and yourself?
Boyang: Hope all Chinese winter athletes will show fighting spirits and the Olympics will be a success. Beijing 2022 will take place during Chinese New Year and hopefully we can show everyone our best. I hope to win honor for the country and wish our love for winter sports can bring you into trying them too.

Wenjing Sui and Cong Han

Q: Some key words to summarize what you've written?
Cong: Year 2022 is the next year, after the Year of Ox, 2022 will be the Year of Tiger. So, 'be a tiger with wings added'. (note: that's a Chinese idiom) I want to wish everything well in the new year and tiger is a powerful symbol, so I wrote this auspicious word: 'we'll be tigers with wings added'.
Wenjing: I think the training in the following year will be hard so I hope I can enjoy life and training like before. I also hope to witness the growth in myself like I'm in the parallel universe.

Q: Your biggest growth and change in this Olympic cycle?
Cong: I think we've matured, are more independent and know our needs better. From passive to active, a growth of mind.
Wenjing: I think the mentality has changed. During the last Olympic cycle I was very nervous sometimes, but after one Olympic experience I now enjoy what the process brings me. On the ice I'm with abandon but in life, everything happened contributes to our preparation and help us to show what we're capable of.

Q: Biggest possible challenge?
Cong: They are all unknown, but if there's a challenge we'll deal with it. I think this is a good attitude.

Q: Different feelings when competing in Olympics?
Cong: Olympics is a major international competition and athletes represent and fight for their countries. I think I'm honored and have learned from competing in Olympics with athletes from different countries.

Q: What do you think of returning to Capital Indoor Stadium once again?
Cong: We used to compete here often and the decoration is top level internationally. After this renovation, it's again different. There's something I miss and something new. The dominant blue tone is relaxing and gives us better energy in training.

Q: What's your biggest thought during the organization of Beijing 2022 these years?
Cong: We start from ourselves and call for more participation in winter sports as an athlete, echoing the General Secretary's call, '300 Million People on Ice and Snow'. Now we've met some phased targets. Although our power is small but we've tried to bring our fans and people around into the fun of ice and winter sports.
Wenjing: I feel that the country is paying more and more attention to winter sports. Our stadiums and facilitating equipment are getting better and there are medical experts for us. The country has done everything to help us. I'm very moved and happy.

Q: A wish for Beijing 2022 and yourselves?
Cong: Wish the preparation and the competition of Beijing 2022 will go smoothly and all the athletes can accomplish what they want. Fight for your goals.
Wenjing: Hope we can do our best in Beijing 2022 and get the result we want.

--------------

Team China also posted a fluff video of skaters wishing a happy Chinese New Year on 12th.

Here I wish everyone who a belated Happy New Year too! Hope the Year of Ox can be a good one.

 

[Gris]

新闻

Team China at Worlds 2021

Men: Boyang Jin, Han Yan (Alternate: Yudong Chen)
Ladies: Hongyi Chen (Alternate: Shan Lin)
Pairs: Wenjing Sui / Cong Han, Cheng Peng / Yang Jin, Yuchen Wang / Yihang Huang
Dance: Shiyue Wang / Xinyu Liu

ETA: Three pdf files at the end of this announcement:
Direct qualifiers (Jin, Yan, S/H, P/J, W/L)
Rank of the virtual selection
Protocols of the virtual selection

 

[Sylvia]

Glad to see Han Yan's name officially listed for Worlds (unlike last year).

I downloaded the Worlds Trial competition results/protocols PDF (25 pages) and here were the results/scores of the skaters:

Men
1 Yudong CHEN 214.35 1 1 (71.70 SP, 142.65 FS)
2 He ZHANG 189.99 2 3 (69.49 SP, 120.50 FS)
3 Zhiming PENG 182.56 3 2 (58.45 SP, 124.11 FS)

Ladies - did Ashley Lin and Beverly Zhu have to travel to China for this competition, anyone know?
1 Hongyi CHEN 192.35 1 1 (65.51 SP, 126.84 FS)
2 Shan LIN 188.94 2 2 (64.21 SP, 124.73 FS)
3 Yi ZHU 138.50 4 3 (45.40 SP, 93.10 FS)
4 Yixuan ZHANG 128.96 3 4 (54.00 SP, 74.96 FS)

Very close between the top 2 ladies!
SP:
1 Hongyi CHEN 65.51 35.33 30.18 0.00 (3Lz+3Tq, 3F, 2A; L4 for 2 spins, L3 for footwork & 1 spin)
2 Shan LIN 64.21 34.49 29.72 0.00 (2A, 3F+3Lo<, 3Lz! edge warning; all L4 spins & footwork)

FS:
1 Hongyi CHEN 126.84 66.18 60.66 0.00 (3Lz+1Eu+3Sq, 3T+3T, 3Lo, 3Lzq, 3F<+2T, 2A, 2A)
2 Shan LIN 124.73 63.66 61.07 0.00 (2A+3T<, 3Lz!, 3Fq+2T, 3Lo, 2A+1Eu+3S, 3Fq, 3Sq)
Both received all L4s for their spins & footwork.

Pairs
1 Yuchen WANG / Yihang HUANG 171.60 1 1 (63.79 SP, 107.81 FS)

Ice Dance (no competition)

 

[Jeschke]

Status of Tang/Yang anyone?

 

[Gris]

Ladies - did Ashley Lin and Beverly Zhu have to travel to China for this competition, anyone know?

I don't think so as they just needed to submit videos with the supervision being online.

From the link I've posted in post #988 in this thread:

视频录制需在协会2名监督员的线上实时监督下，在国际滑联赛事的标准场地完成，协会根据参选运动员报名时选定的时间段安排监督员监督全过程并录屏。

"Video recording should be done under the real time online supervision of 2 supervisors of the Association, in the ISU standard rink. The association will arrange the supervisors to supervise the whole process and record the screen according to the time slot selected by athletes in their applications."

Status of Tang/Yang anyone?

Rumor says she's injured and they're now at the provincial team.

 

[Sylvia]

Sui/Han's ISU bio has been updated ahead of Worlds and they are keeping their most recent Lori Nichol-choreographed programs (they last competed at 2020 4CC):
SP (from 2019-20): "Blues Deluxe" by Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, performed by Joe Bonamassa
FS (from 2018-19): "Rain, In Your Black Eyes" by Ezio Bosso

 

[Sylvia]

UPDATE: Sui/Han's ISU bio now shows they're bringing back their 2016-17 SP to "Blues for Klook" by Eddy Louis.

 

[Alli84]

Boyang Jin's updated ISU bio:

Coach:

Caishu Fu, Brian Orser, Tracy Wilson, Zhaoxiao Xu

 

[Japanfan]

Boyang Jin's updated ISU bio:

Coach:

Caishu Fu, Brian Orser, Tracy Wilson, Zhaoxiao Xu

So I assume Boyang will be moving to Toronto when he's able to do so?

It will be interesting to see what this team will do with Boyang - there are possibilities there IMO.

 

[Gris]

中国花样滑冰队即将出征 参加2021花样滑冰世锦赛

mp.weixin.qq.com

According to this report from the Winter Sports Administrative Center, Team China will leave for Stockholm today and all the athletes have been vaccinated with the Chinese vaccine.

 

[Sabine-Yuna]

The third Chinese pair is off the entry list. That means better chances for 3 Olympic spots.

 

[tony]

The third Chinese pair is off the entry list. That means better chances for 3 Olympic spots.

No, not at all. When there are three teams, only the top two placements count towards at 13 or less total (to retain three spots). Now if China (likely) does that, the third team will have to qualify at Nebelhorn anyways.

Had the third team competed here and failed to make the LP or not placed high enough for the outright spot, China would be in the same position come Nebelhorn.

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here re. Yuchen WANG / Yihang HUANG no longer being listed among the pairs entries:

The third Chinese Team did not go to Sweden. Because the girl is a minor, she cannot be vaccinated with the Chinese vaccine. They decided not to go.

Thanks for the info, @coralline - do you happen to have a source link?

When there are three teams, only the top two placements count towards at 13 or less total (to retain three spots). Now if China (likely) does that, the third team will have to qualify at Nebelhorn anyways.

I have heard unofficially that the new rule will not apply to pairs but we'll have to wait for official confirmation on that.

 

[tony]

Re-posting here re. Yuchen WANG / Yihang HUANG no longer being listed among the pairs entries:

Thanks for the info, @coralline - do you happen to have a source link?

I have heard unofficially that the new rule will not apply to pairs but we'll have to wait for official confirmation on that.

I would be surprised if it didn’t apply to pairs in some fashion, because I think it was put in place, in part, to avoid the situation with the US pairs in 2018 and them running out of spots without the option to get a second spot via Nebelhorn qualification. And if a team were to finish in the top 10 (as Germany could), I don’t think it would be fair to say they can’t also try for that second entry.

 

[Sylvia]

Sorry, I meant that if any country qualifies 2 or 3 pair spots at Worlds in Stockholm, I was told (unofficially) that country does not have to confirm their extra pairs spot by making them compete at Nebelhorn.

 

[tony]

Sorry, I meant that if any country qualifies 2 or 3 pair spots at Worlds in Stockholm, I was told (unofficially) that country does not have to confirm their extra pairs spot by making them compete at Nebelhorn.

Got it, makes sense! Thanks!

 

[Karen-W]

Sorry, I meant that if any country qualifies 2 or 3 pair spots at Worlds in Stockholm, I was told (unofficially) that country does not have to confirm their extra pairs spot by making them compete at Nebelhorn.

Which doesn't really make sense since this additional qualification step was added, in part, to avoid situations like the US pairs in 2018. Because they would have easily qualified a 2nd pair over France had the Nebelhorn option existed 4 years ago.

 

[Gris]

Re-posting here re. Yuchen WANG / Yihang HUANG no longer being listed among the pairs entries:

Thanks for the info, @coralline - do you happen to have a source link?

AFAIK, no official reason of their withdrawal was given. What @coralline posted is merely a guess / rumor in Chinese fandom, although personally it makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[coralline]

AFAIK, no official reason of their withdrawal was given. What @coralline posted is merely a guess / rumor in Chinese fandom, although personally it makes a lot of sense to me.

Re-posting here re. Yuchen WANG / Yihang HUANG no longer being listed among the pairs entries:

Thanks for the info, @coralline - do you happen to have a source link?

What Gris said was right. Someone on Weibo said she asked Wang through PM and got this info，but it is not officially confirmed. What is certain is that they did not leave China. I just want to clarify in the other post that they did not withdraw because of a positive test.

 

[Sylvia]

Sui/Han article (published after the SP/before they won World silver in Stockholm) with new quotes by Lori Nichol:

Making magic, and making it work: Sui and Han’s partnership with choreographer Nichol

Perhaps the most versatile, Sui Wenjing and Han Cong may have had more comebacks, misfortunes and reinventions than the rest of field at worlds combined.

olympics.nbcsports.com

Excerpt from the end:

Nichol plans to create special magic for Sui and Han next season, when the team attempts to win the Olympic gold that so narrowly eluded them in PyeongChang. This time, they will compete on home ground, in Beijing.
“Olympics are always a huge pressure for everyone; everybody would like to do their best there,” she said. With Sui and Han, she advises, “You know you want it, so it’s lets focus minute by minute, day by day, week by week, and we will be there.”
How and where the creative partnership will work – whether the skaters visit Nichol in Toronto, she travels to China or they continue to collaborate via Zoom – are unknowns.
“I have no idea what’s going to happen with the pandemic, the rules in Canada and the rules throughout the world,” Nichol said. “I try not to think about that. I focus just on the music and our approach. And whether it is me going there or them coming here, or Zoom, it’s all possible to make great work.
“Of course, I would love to see them. We have tons of fun when we choreograph. But whatever will be, will be, and we will make it work.”

 

[Sylvia]

I'm still very that China lost their second men's spot for the Olympics.

 

[Kateri]

I'm still very that China lost their second men's spot for the Olympics.

And that no matter how badly Jin skates between now and then, and no matter how well Yan skates, they will 100% send Jin to the Olys.

 

[Sylvia]

Figure skaters' flop delivers wake-up call

Despite the strong return of its ace couple in the pairs event, Team China's slim pickings across the other disciplines at the World Figure Skating Championships has sent alarm bells ringing at home ahead of Beijing 2022.

www.chinadaily.com.cn

 

[Marco]

And that no matter how badly Jin skates between now and then, and no matter how well Yan skates, they will 100% send Jin to the Olys.

I don't know how Yan Han can find motivation to train for next season. He's been injured, neglected by the Fed and now will very likely be working towards an impossible goal.

 

[Japanfan]

I don't know how Yan Han can find motivation to train for next season. He's been injured, neglected by the Fed and now will very likely be working towards an impossible goal.

Such a shame, really. His FP this season is one of my favorite programs of all time. I think he is a rather under-appreciated skater and fear he won't ever fully realize his amazing potential.

 

[Frau Muller]

And that no matter how badly Jin skates between now and then, and no matter how well Yan skates, they will 100% send Jin to the Olys.

Why? If China wants a good result, then Han Yan is the man. It wouldn’t make sense to push Boyang at this point. Boyang can try to “pull a Han Yan” and come back strong in 2023.

 

[Gris]

微博

随时随地发现新鲜事！微博带你欣赏世界上每一个精彩瞬间，了解每一个幕后故事。分享你想表达的，让全世界都能听到你的心声！

m.weibo.cn

Xiaoyu Yu has formally announced her retirement.

Best wishes, Xiaoyu!

ETA: Translation of Xiaoyu’s post:


To all the FS fans and friends who have supported me along the way, here I’ll announce something that would disappoint you: I submitted my formal application for retirement not so long ago.

Perhaps this will confuse or disappoint many, but this is a decision I made after thoughtful consideration. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Life is like a chain of choices and I have no regret in my journey and every choice I’ve made. There is no ‘if’ in real life and everyone must adapt to circumstances.

For me, the most important thing now is heading into the future. Over these years, I’ve learned to accept my weaknesses. My understandings of figure skating, beauty and art have deepened and they shaped a new me. Although it’s a pity that I haven’t showed my best to you in competitions, it’s not something I can do on my own. But I believe that, as long as I don’t give up and continue to improve, this desire in my heart will be fulfilled one day. There must be new chances in the future.

This choice is an opportunity for me, a new start point in life. I’ll be involved in figure skating in different ways to bring you new joy and surprise in the future. Here I thank you for being with me for so many years.

 

[tony]

Why? If China wants a good result, then Han Yan is the man. It wouldn’t make sense to push Boyang at this point. Boyang can try to “pull a Han Yan” and come back strong in 2023.

Because Han Yan doesn’t have the difficulty to seriously compete for the top 8 or maybe even the top 10. The field is stacked. Jin, on a good day, is right in there for a potential medal and seeing that the Olympics are in Beijing, it’s all that is going to matter.

 

[Japanfan]

Because Han Yan doesn’t have the difficulty to seriously compete for the top 8 or maybe even the top 10. The field is stacked. Jin, on a good day, is right in there for a potential medal and seeing that the Olympics are in Beijing, it’s all that is going to matter.

Hopefully Brian and Tracy will help Jin to have two great outings that really matter.