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

[Sylvia]

After an interview video/article was posted in the previous Chinese news thread about Zijun Li's training and living challenges in St. Petersburg with Coach Mishin's group, her name was moved to the substitute list today.

Ladies (as of March 21):
Xiangning LI CHN
Ziquan ZHAO CHN
(Sub: Zijun LI CHN S )

Men:
Boyang JIN CHN
Han YAN CHN - reported recently to have shoulder dislocation issues but still listed as of 3/17
(Sub: Yuhang GUAN CHN S )

Pairs:
Wenjing SUI / Cong HAN CHN
Xiaoyu YU / Hao ZHANG CHN
(Sub: Cheng PENG / Yang JIN CHN S )

Dance:
Shiyue WANG / Xinyu LIU CHN 5
(Sub: Hong CHEN / Yan ZHAO CHN S )

 

[Jeschke]

This has to be a fluke, it has to, or?
Like Samohin off the junior worlds list for a day.

Or maybe chinese fed decided they don't need 2 spots next season.

Either way.

 

[casken]

I forgot China was down to 2 pair spots as a result of the fed's quest to undermine Yu/Jin last year.

No Leftovers at worlds.

 

[ginsengtea]

Wasn't Zhao Ziquan out just a few days ago? And now she's back in? The Chinese forums are already speculating that Zijun's been dumped.

 

[VGThuy]

Wow. I thought she was injured, but it looks like she was moved to the substitutes list. That's got to sting for her.

 

[rosewood]

Devastated for Zijun's withdrawal. I'm concerning about Han Yan's injury too. The rumors about Zhao Anyways my new fav of Chinese ladies is Xiangning so I'm rooting for her as well as Boyang and Sui/Han. I'm kind of being drawn by Wan/Liu too.

 

[jlai]

What is the rumor on Zhao?

 

[kwanfan1818]

Zijun Li has been switched to "substitute" (S). She has not been removed from the list.

Originally, X. Li was the sub, and Z. Li and Zhao were in. Then they changed Zhao from in to S, and X. Li from S to in. Now they've changed Zhao back to in and Z. Li to S.

They still have over a week to change it again and/or notify the ISU that they've changed the wrong Li.

 

[rosewood]

Any news about Zijun's injury or illness or whatever as the reason of the switch?

 

[ginsengtea]

She's not injured and I doubt she's ill. Zijun actually posted about a "conspiracy" yesterday on her Weibo, but she's since deleted that post. Today she posted: "I worked hard for so many years, for what".

One of the heads of CSA gave an interview a few hours ago. According to them, Zijun's condition is poor, she has a fever, and she hasn't been training normally. The final list will be given out before departure. They also denied the so-called conspiracy and said that they haven't been looking at Zijun's social media. They'll send their best athletes to the World Championships etc., national honor etc.

To me it seems like internal politics are at play again. If she's in such bad condition, then why list her as a substitute? For god's sake, Han Yan's dislocated his shoulder three times and he's still on that entry list. It makes no sense from the standpoint of Olympic spots and "national honor" either; she's one of the faces of their skating program and clearly the best ladies singles skater in China.

 

[Josh78]

She's not injured and I doubt she's ill. Zijun actually posted about a "conspiracy" yesterday on her Weibo, but she's since deleted that post. Today she posted: "I worked hard for so many years, for what".

Oh what a tangled web -- so sad they are treating her like this (whatever their supposedly "valid" reasons)

 

[Marco]

And, with all due respect, it's not like Ziquan is halfway where Zijun is, skating wise and reputation wise.

 

[Japanfan]

Thanks for the article, but I found it disturbing. when an athlete feels they cannot even drink water for fear of a few grams of weight gain--this is a bad situation, and misguided. The last time we heard of a skater who was afraid to even drink water .... Julia Antipova. Reading this article, it's no wonder that Zijun has never fulfilled her potential. When the body isn't given enough nourishment and you're flying around the world training in unfamiliar, scary environments, with an obvious lack of support, it's going to be difficult to achieve good results. I for one have always felt Zijun looks too thin--as weight is lost, so is power and strength sometimes.

Yes, it was very disturbing.

Zijun is not the type of athlete who develops muscle well, weight gain will bring her more evident changes, so in previous years coach Mingzhu Li controlled this aspect very strictly, with random weighings each day, accurate to two decimal places. Sometimes, never mind eating, even drinking too much water would be a luxury.

“Weight control is easier said than done. For a long time, she wouldn’t eat proper meals, didn’t even drink enough water. Sometimes, when she was so thirsty she couldn’t stand it, she would rinse her mouth with water and then spit it out,” said her mom, Chunyan Li. She would be able to bear it for a day or two, but they lived that way for about a year. Daughter unable to eat, she would go hungry as well. Sometimes, mother and daughter both kept awake by hunger at night, in neighbouring beds listening to each other’s stomachs growling, gathering strength and encouragement from each other.

I've heard that such weight control has been required of China's pair ladies, most of whom have been very thin (Hunger Pang comes immediately to mind). In the book The Second Mark it was noted that skaters had to eat in the coaches' lounge if they gained more than 3 pounds. It happened to Shen because the drank two diet cokes during a rare visit from her parents that happened right before weigh-in.

Even so, it's hard to read about skaters who starve and dehydrate and are pushed to do so in a cruel fashion. There has to be a better way.

Sui looks to be very healthy and at a good weight, so maybe the emphasis on weight control varies among coaches. Maybe Hongbo goes a bit easy in this respect, having seen what Shen had to go through.

 

[jlai]

She's not injured and I doubt she's ill. Zijun actually posted about a "conspiracy" yesterday on her Weibo, but she's since deleted that post. Today she posted: "I worked hard for so many years, for what".

One of the heads of CSA gave an interview a few hours ago. According to them, Zijun's condition is poor, she has a fever, and she hasn't been training normally. The final list will be given out before departure. They also denied the so-called conspiracy and said that they haven't been looking at Zijun's social media. They'll send their best athletes to the World Championships etc., national honor etc.

To me it seems like internal politics are at play again. If she's in such bad condition, then why list her as a substitute? For god's sake, Han Yan's dislocated his shoulder three times and he's still on that entry list. It makes no sense from the standpoint of Olympic spots and "national honor" either; she's one of the faces of their skating program and clearly the best ladies singles skater in China.

I guess she is training abroad and have no Chinese coach to politik for her?

 

[Sylvia]

One of the heads of CSA gave an interview a few hours ago. According to them, Zijun's condition is poor, she has a fever, and she hasn't been training normally. The final list will be given out before departure. They also denied the so-called conspiracy and said that they haven't been looking at Zijun's social media. They'll send their best athletes to the World Championships etc., national honor etc.

Thanks - here's the Google translation

On weibo re. Han Yan's condition (summarized by a fan), it's still not clear whether or not he will withdraw from Worlds: https://twitter.com/magicaleggrolls/status/844558362360647680

 

[Jun Y]

It's transparent to me that the current Chinese federation is mired in intractable infighting and politics. Not looking good for the Beijing winter Olys.

 

[barbarafan]

Thanks - here's the Google translation

On weibo re. Han Yan's condition (summarized by a fan), it's still not clear whether or not he will withdraw from Worlds: https://twitter.com/magicaleggrolls/status/844558362360647680

I would hope that they do not push Han Yan to compete. I had 3 dislocations as the fracture which occurred with first dislocation is the bone that holds your shoulder in place...I was not allowed to move the arm...held firmly in a strapped on sling against my body..I did the first dislocation on JUly 18th and was not allowed movement until I started limited physio sept 8th..There were very few exercises I could do until my 5th week of physio and more were added on the 8th week. I would say at this point if he is moving the arm at all he may not be screaming out load but he is screaming in his head. The fact that they are talking about surgery means it needs surgery but they might want him to compete at worlds and then do the surgery..I cannot see anyone skating jumping spinning with that amount of pain.

 

[greenapple]

Apparently he has a fractured shoulder. https://twitter.com/HanYanFanVan/status/844761928190738436/photo/1

 

[Sylvia]

Chinese article that summarizes Han Yan's weibo post about his shoulder fracture & subsequent dislocations: http://sports.sina.com.cn/others/winter/2017-03-22/doc-ifycstww0639490.shtml
( Google translation )
Re. the end of the article: The author does not seem aware that IF Yan withdraws and is NOT replaced, Boyang Jin would only need to place in the top 10 to earn China 2 men's Olympic spots.

ETA: And ditto IF Yan withdraws, is replaced by Yuhang Guan and Guan doesn't make it to the FS (18 points max.). OR if Guan does make it to FS (16 points if he places 17-24), then Jin would only need to place no lower than 12th.

 

[kwanfan1818]

If Yan withdraws and is not replaced, then the Men's field is down to 36, and it becomes six groups of six, with the Top 18 skating in the "later half." If Guan replaces Yan, then he would be in the "earlier half" draw.

 

[levineismine]

IFS and the Han Yan fan van now confirmed on Twitter that he had to withdraw from Worlds

 

[Marco]

I believe Jin Boyang should be in a good enough position to defend the 2 CHN men spot for PC 2018. He is better off resting his shoulder for next season.

 

[rosewood]

Bummer. He's so unlucky. Full and quick recovery for him. Boyang will win two spots that they need.

 

[kwanfan1818]

They should send Guan if he is healthy. China gets the same two spots if Jin is top ten, skating alone or if Guan skates and doesn't make the FS.

 

[barbarafan]

IFS and the Han Yan fan van now confirmed on Twitter that he had to withdraw from Worlds

Thank god...He needs to get fixed up and heal.. Sad he has to miss worlds but if he persists now his career may be over..If they operate now he may be ok for olympics.

 

[Sylvia]

Pang/Tong tweeted this today: https://twitter.com/iskating_pt/status/845220805789167616
"According to Han Yan's Weibo, he will undergo surgery on his shoulder on Tuesday next week. Hope he will have a speedy recovery."
Yan is still listed in the official entries - as yet unknown if he will be replaced by Yuhang Guan.

Sui/Han were interviewed on 3/23 - a translation/summary is here: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com...3-interview-with-suihan-from-artistry-on-ices

 

[clairecloutier]

Zijun Li back in at Worlds according to this tweet??

https://twitter.com/Iron_Klaus/status/845304529566515200

(If true, WHAT is going on over there ....)

 

[Jeschke]

in, out, in out,...at least we will be entertained until tuesday draw

 

[casken]

Zijun Li back in at Worlds according to this tweet??

https://twitter.com/Iron_Klaus/status/845304529566515200

(If true, WHAT is going on over there ....)

Great. For their next trick, can the Chinese Fed put Yu and Jin back together?

 

[Josh78]

Looks like my (half-joking) suspicions that skating federation officials just use coin flips to make decisions that affect anything OTHER than themselves or their own pockets isn't that far from the real truth lol