Chinese wheelchair curling team aims high
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Loading... - Feng Huang
- 08 Mar 2022
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After two losses and three wins in the first three days after the opening of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, the Chinese wheelchair curling team is still holding out hope for a home victory, considering its legendary past.
The Chinese wheelchair curling team respectively wrapped up their round robin sessions 7 and 8 on Monday, competing with Team South Korea and Switzerland, winning both at the National Aquatics Center.
On Saturday, the team lost its first round robin match to Canada 3:7.
But the defeat clearly did not bring down the team when facing a strong opponent, Team Canada, another curling legend and three-time Paralympic champion since the sport's Paralympic debut in 2006.
"We are facing a powerful opponent but I think every team is doing a great job," said Yan Zhuo, the only woman in the Chinese wheelchair curling team.
"The first defeat might have cast a cloud over the team. But still, we need to adapt and make adjustments and changes throughout the long competition cycle, and rely more on teamwork," said Yue Qingshuang, coach of the Chinese wheelchair curling team and participant in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games, after their first loss.
And that's exactly what they did. The legendary team won their next three games, starting with a 9:3 victory over Estonia on Sunday.
Hard work pays off
"Hurry! Whoa! Go, go, go, go, go!" These shouts of encouragement were often heard during each of Team China's competitions over the past three days.
In wheelchair curling competitions, sweeping on the ice is not allowed. After an athlete pushes out, players cannot affect the direction and speed of the stone, so there is normally no need for technique discussions, unlike the curling event in the Winter Olympic Games.
But there was still plenty of shouting to be heard among the Chinese wheelchair curling players, who joked that these passionate shouts were "sound-wave style ice sweeping." Read More…
