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

[feraina]

This might be the cleanest P/J have ever skated!
And first time landing a 3S in competition, isn’t it?

 

[Japanfan]

It is Aljona's fifth Olympics. But the third with a shot at the Gold. Sure.

Had a lapse there in completely forgetting that she competed with another partner prior to Bruno.

 

[Marco]

http://sports.sina.com.cn/others/figureskating/2017-12-27/doc-ifypxrpp4458051.shtml

This article says the Olympic team is basically confirmed based on the points sytem. Sui & Han, Yu & Zhang, Peng & Jin for pairs; Jin Boyang and Yan Han for men; Li Xiangning for ladies; and Wang & Liu for dance.

 

[Sylvia]

Chinese Nationals were held on Dec. 23-24 (results/protocols don't seem to be up yet on http://chnfs.org ) - photos of the 4 podiums can be viewed here: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com...icaleggplant-2017-chinese-nationals-medalists

Sui/Han & Boyang Jin did not compete.

Pairs top 4 overall + FS videos on weibo & photos of the protocols: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com/post/168930082772/2017-chinese-nationals-final-results

Pairs SP top 4 - videos on weibo (except for Gao/Xie in 3rd) & photos of the protocols: http://fyeahchinesepairs.tumblr.com/post/168862726727/2017-chinese-nationals-sp-results

Here's the link to the Dec. 2017 Chinese Nationals protocols published in Chinese (88 pages): http://chnfs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/122603.pdf

Xue SHEN news: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/18/c_136906180.htm

BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Figure Skating Association (CFSA) has been officially established here on Thursday, with retired Olympic and world champion Shen Xue appointed president.
Shen, who paired with her now-husband Zhao Hongbo to win China's first figure skating Olympic gold medal in Vancouver 2010, will lead the new organization, which is to be based in Beijing.
The Chinese Skating Association (CSA), which was founded last May, previously managed figure skating in China, and will continue to govern short and long-track speed skating.
Eight months ago when the CSA was initiated, the country's national short track speed skating team coach Li Yan was elected as president, while Shen Xue served as the executive vice president.
Operating independently from the CSA, the CFSA will focus on all issues involving the development of figure skating in China.

Re-posting from the 2018 4CC forum in Kiss & Cry: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/20/c_136910604.htm

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Reigning world champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong and teammates Yu Xiaoyu/Jin Yang have withdrawn from the upcoming Four Continents Figure Skating Championships due to minor injuries that Sui sustained a week ago.
"Sui received a shin skin scratch in training a week ago and Jin has been suffering from recrudescence of old injuries. In order to protect the health of the skaters, the Chinese Figure Skating Association and the national team made the decision," the Chinese Figure Skating Association said in a statement on Saturday.

(I had to look up "recrudescence"...)

Not sure why Wang/Wang (3rd at Nationals in December) were not assigned to 4CC? Strangely, they were listed originally (as of 12/22/17) with Yu/Zhang and Peng/Jin in the pairs event at 2018 EduSport Trophy in Romania but none of the pairs showed up there earlier this month.

Zhang/Song ( http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00102572.htm ) were 7th at 2017 Cup of China and only 6th at Nationals so maybe that's why they were not assigned?

 

[clairecloutier]

Judging by their performances at Nationals, it looks like Wang/Wang are still getting back into competitive shape, especially WRT their jumps. Perhaps that’s why they weren’t assigned to 4CCs? I hope to see more of them next season.

 

[Spun Silver]

Whole post

Congrats to president SHEN XUE! If there is anyone who can eliminate recrudescenti and put Chinese ladies and dance on the map, she's the one!

 

[VGThuy]

Shen Xue is the BOSS! It's amazing how far she's come from being that curly haired skater in Nagano impressing audiences with Hongbo with the crazy power and height of their throws.

 

[Japanfan]

Shen Xue is the BOSS! It's amazing how far she's come from being that curly haired skater in Nagano impressing audiences with Hongbo with the crazy power and height of their throws.

What stood out for me was that they both had very bad teeth. They had to accomplish a lot before the federation paid for their dental work - after which they became such a beautiful looking pair!

Chinese pairs skating has come such a long, long way - going all the way back to Bin Yao being thrown into a pair in the early 1980s and skating so bad that he remembers being laughed at by the audience. And Shen, among the poorest of the poor, skating outside all day in frigid weather. Her parents bought her skates a size too big to save money, and when she first put them on, she couldn't take her skates off because the blood on her feet was sticking to them (these stories from the book The Second Mark).

Although I'm thrilled for Shen and think she'll do the position proud, I do wish we saw more of her in the K&C, like we do Hongbo.

 

[letsskate]

Does anyone know what happened to Zijun Li?? Feel like she just disappeared all of a sudden. Haven't heard of any major injuries from her either or maybe I missed them?

 

[livetoskate]

Does anyone know what happened to Zijun Li?? Feel like she just disappeared all of a sudden. Haven't heard of any major injuries from her either or maybe I missed them?

According to her Instagram, she was snowboarding somewhere last week. In some of her Instagrams, people asked if she were still skating or retired, with no response.

 

[clairecloutier]

Does anyone know what happened to Zijun Li?? Feel like she just disappeared all of a sudden. Haven't heard of any major injuries from her either or maybe I missed them?

I just saw a tweet today saying that Zijun has officially retired. But, no source was given. https://twitter.com/michaeljardins/status/959119457376505857

 

[nimi]

I just saw a tweet today saying that Zijun has officially retired. But, no source was given. https://twitter.com/michaeljardins/status/959119457376505857

Another tweet claimed the source is provincial media in Jilin, where she trains/trained. But no confirmation yet. https://twitter.com/crazykuroneko/status/959121607938662400

 

[Jeschke]

Another retirement
Zijun will go down in my personal history as one of the few 'what could have been's.
I was so stunned back then seeing her on junior grand prix, a shame, she could not totally live up to that.
Farewell Zijun, your stunning endless pose I will always remember

 

[letsskate]

I wish Chinese federation can be more open about what really happened. No major injuries were reported of her, and then she just suddenly disappeared from their rosters. I suspect some politics going on.

 

[SamuraiK]

She way too rebel for the CHN fed.. hence she dissappeared from every event.

 

[Japanfan]

|Farewell Zijun, your stunning endless pose I will always remember

I just watched the whole program. What a lovely, ethereal skater. Wishing her will on all future endeavors.

 

[Sylvia]

Wenjing Sui Cong Han w/Eng Subs On Olympic debut: "Fight for Gold in 2022" (broadcast on CCTV on Feb. 15, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJlJA6vUCEo

AFP article after Sui/Han won silver: http://www.scmp.com/sport/article/2...i-wenjing-and-han-cong-look-ahead-after-pairs

“I was quite nervous, this being my first Olympic Games,” said a tearful Sui, having led the field after the short programme. “We really wanted to do well, but simply fell too short in the end. But I hope that this will give us the motivation we need over the next four years to do well again at the Beijing 2022 Games when we will be at home.
“It was a very small gap. If they won by a big margin, I wouldn’t be so disappointed. Every morning when we practice the foot [injury] is painful. But this is a life experience. I have learned a lot, it is our first Olympics and we are still young. There are still many opportunities.”

Han said he was proud to represent China at the Winter Olympics and was also looking forward to Beijing 2022.
“We may not have been able to win gold during the Lunar New Year but there are no regrets,” he said. “Our aim is for gold in Beijing.”

ETA 2 Chinese articles in English:

After the Pairs FS: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-02/15/c_136977559.htm

"It's a great, great pity for us. We are so close to the championship regarding the final score," the 25-year-old Han told Xinhua. "But we have great respect to the German and Canadian pairs, standing on the podium with us. They were competing with my coach Zhao before. They never give up, which is, for us, a great encouragement. We will show you the best of us at Beijing Games."
Wearing a big smile on her teary face, Sui, 22, showed satisfaction with the Olympic debut and appreciation to the supporters, those in China, particularly.
"It's my first Olympics and I'm happy with what we have done so far. It's an incomparable experience. I have come so far to be here after 15 years of skating, and it's worthwhile," said Sui.

After the Olympic men's FS: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-02/17/c_136981552.htm

Hopes weighed on the shoulders of Jin, who won the Four Continents Championships last month, as fans back in China believed that he could be the record breaker and even come back home with a medal.
In the Star Wars soundtrack, the 20-year-old Jin presented a powerful and quality program. The only scar of his show was marked when he fell down onto the ice after a quad toeloop jump.
Tired and nervous, Jin finally burst into tears in the kiss and cry corner when his score read on the screen.
"I'm 20 and I know I have a lot of potentials. I will working hard for standing on the podium at the next Olympics in Beijing," Jin told Xinhua.

"I'm relieved in a sort of way," said a weary Yan. He had surgeries in March, which left him with five screws in the shoulder. "I went onto the rink as an explanation to my own -- It's not easy for me to be here and I'm qualified into the free skating. I finished it, in a pretty bad way though. I'm happy I can be honest with myself and accept the fact."
"But I'm not a quitter. I will take a break and go back for training, day by day, even harder, for a better me," he added.

 

[nimi]

Boyang Jin post-FS interview clip with English subtitles: https://twitter.com/BoyangFanpage/status/964918838960640000

He says the 4th place finish will give him more confidence to chase his dream and get that medal in Beijing and try to make himself a stronger person.

 

[kwanfan1818]

He says the 4th place finish will give him more confidence to chase his dream and get that medal in Beijing and try to make himself a stronger person.

There have been three Men so far who went from 4th at the prior Olympics to Olympic champion:

• Karl Schaeffer (1928), who won gold in 1932 and 1936
• Hayes Allen Jenkins (1952), who won gold in 1956
• Evan Lysacek (2006), who won gold in 2010

Two other Men went from 4th at the prior Olympics to the podium:

• Jan Hoffmann (1976), who won silver in 1980
• Javier Fernandez (2014), who just won bronze in Pyeongchang

Viktor Petrenko went from gold in 1992 to 4th in 1994.

Grieg in 1908 didn't have a chance, because the next competition was in 1920.

 

[livetoskate]

Boyang Jin post-FS interview clip with English subtitles: https://twitter.com/BoyangFanpage/status/964918838960640000

He says the 4th place finish will give him more confidence to chase his dream and get that medal in Beijing and try to make himself a stronger person.

He's still so humble, saying at the end that he's still not mature enough or something. He looks crushed and weary but still answered the questions well. He will do even better at worlds.

 

[nimi]

Another video w/ English subtitles: Wenjing interviews Boyang!!!!

It's such a fun interview: #Wenjingsui interviewed #Boyangjin. They talked about emotions,injury, their friendship, also Boyang's ideal type of girls. They now have the same goal: Beijing 2022! Must watch!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uuTaBE8rb8

 

[livetoskate]

Another video w/ English subtitles: Wenjing interviews Boyang!!!!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uuTaBE8rb8

That was cute and entertaining! Funny how Boyang is holding a stuffed toy lamb the whole time. Must be because his name has the "yang" character, the word or same sounding word for lamb. He says he felt like he had a heart attack watching Sui/Han skate, he thinks his hairstyle is handsome, and Sui mentions he had a zit on his nose and had to cover it. So they are BFFs, having known each other since they started skating as kids. They could be the Chinese version of Tara & Johnny without the snark and wacky outfits.

 

[nimi]

Funny how Boyang is holding a stuffed toy lamb the whole time. Must be because his name has the "yang" character, the word or same sounding word for lamb.

I was wondering about that. Thank you for that plausible (and cute) explanation!

 

[nimi]

The word is Han Yan is retiring?!?

He apparently told so in a weibo post that he may have then deleted? Or something?
https://twitter.com/XinyaoWuJasmine/status/974150176377098242

 

[jlai]

That seems like it

 

[Jeschke]

So much promise once

 

[Japanfan]

So much promise once

I will miss him if he retires! I've always had the feeling that he had one great skate in him, and have been waiting for that (although perhaps he had it and I missed it?)

There is something soft and subtle about Han Yan - he is the opposite of Boyang, really. But I love them both.

 

[Marco]

I will miss him if he retires! I've always had the feeling that he had one great skate in him, and have been waiting for that (although perhaps he had it and I missed it?)

2016 4CCs

 

[Japanfan]

2016 4CCs

Thanks. That was wonderful!

 

[barbarafan]

I will miss him if he retires! I've always had the feeling that he had one great skate in him, and have been waiting for that (although perhaps he had it and I missed it?)

There is something soft and subtle about Han Yan - he is the opposite of Boyang, really. But I love them both.

I feel so bad as I really like Han Yan but I feel he might be feeling he is kept from skating his full potential due to his shoulder injury. I have similar injury..re dislocations and breaks (will be 2 yrs since in July) and I still have constant pain in shoulder and also muscles and tendons and I feel like a good fall would really mess it up again. Mine was not operated on so his will not be as bad as he had fix it up surgery but he may still have pain and a weakness. I hope he stays in skating in other things.