Three int'l anchors, invited by Hangzhoufeel, visited Zhejiang College of Sports, the "Cradle of World Champions" on May 20.
Cindy Samudio Martelo and Wang Shun
Sobirov Mustakim and Dai Dandan
Fominykh Daria and Zhang Chunyan Photo: Jin Yingying
By Jin Yingying, Zhu Jingning, Fang Jingyi
The Zhejiang athletes are geared up as Hangzhou Asian Games are drawing near.
On May 20, Hangzhoufeel invited three international anchors to visit the training base of Team Zhejiang at Zhejiang College of Sports and try out the training venues for the games of badmintons, table tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, athletics, and swimming, taking a close look at the athletes' training routine.
Mustakim: Taichi fan finds his master
Sobirov Mustakim, a graduate student from Tajikistan at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, has a passion for multiple sports. He grew up watching Chinese martial arts movies, especially the "Ip Man" series, which sparked his love for the Chinese martial arts, particularly Taichi. This visit provided him with a totally new perspective of the art.
His eyes lit up upon entering the Heavy Athletics Gym. On one side, male students were practicing cudgel with a great vigor, while on another, Dai Dandan, the world champion of martial arts was instructing students Taichi swordsmanship with calm and elegant moves.
Mustakim learned that Dai had entered a sports school for training since the age of 12. She and her team frequently competed abroad, not only with a learning mindset but also to spread the spirit of the traditional Chinese martial arts. They are now preparing for Hangzhou Asian Games, and will participate in the national selection games in Beijing in early June.
"The most important thing in martial arts is to keep fit," She suggested him that beginners start with the most basic eight movements of Taichi.
Mustakim bowed to Dai, expressing his wish to become one of her students, and presented her with a gift from his previous university and a badge from his homeland. In return, he received a Taichi fan from the world champion. "I believe my master will surely succeed! I hope that Hangzhou Asian Games will once again showcase the charm of the Chinese sports and culture to the world."
Daria: All athletes are heroes
Fominykh Daria, an international student from Russia at Zhejiang University, used to practice martial arts in her childhood. During her visit, she got a chance to learn a few moves from Zhang Chunyan, a world champion of martial arts and a current coach of Team Zhejiang.
"The charm of martial arts comes with its high difficulty, elegance, and novelty of the movements," Zhang explained to Daria as she was training her students at the arena.
Daria brought to Zhang a set of Russian nesting dolls as a gift. She was curious about how to introduce martial arts to foreigners and make them interested. Zhang gave her a sword as the return gift and taught her how to wield it.
Daria regarded the athletes as "heroes". "Although some of them are not world champions yet, they are really working hard, and I believe they will succeed someday," said Daria.
Cindy: Wang Shun behind the scene
Cindy Samudio Martelo, a livestreamer trainer and content creator from Colombia, remembered her swimming training from her childhood as she approached the swimming pool.
The interviewee of hers was Wang Shun, an Olympic swimming champion, who claimed the title of the men's 200m Individual Medley at Tokyo 2020!
Wang confessed to her that he had been crazy for swimming since he was a child. His persistence for the sport led him to win championships at different levels and eventually stood on the highest podium at the Olympics.
"Becoming an Olympic champion bears the most significance for all athletes, but after achieving it, I once felt like my goal had been dissipated," Wang said. "Last year was a very difficult time for me because I was constantly striving to rediscover my goal."
In early May of this year, Wang Shun made a big comeback at the 2023 Chinese National Swimming Championships, securing four gold medals and one silver in individual and relay events. He sets a goal to make a new record in the Asian Games.
Wang Shun gave Cindy a swim cap with his autograph as a gift, and Cindy reciprocated with her compatriot writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez's masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude. Wang jokingly summed the book up by saying, "To become tough, one must learn to endure solitude."
"Cradle of World Champions"
welcomes int'l athletes
While concluding the venue tour, the anchors were invited to have lunch with the world champions at the college cafeteria.
Nearly 20 dishes were offered on the buffet, with a variety of vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, and dairy products. "The food is tasty! I wish I could eat here every day," exclaimed Mustakim, who couldn't help taking two more rice and dishes.
After lunch, Xu Renjun, the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Zhejiang College of Sports, gave an overview of the college to the anchors.
Established in 2006, the college features competitive sports majors and the first-class sports training venues in China. Known as the "cradle of world champions", it has so far cultivated 16 Olympic champions who have earned 26 Olympic gold medals.
The college is responsible for the training and competition management of the provincial excellent sports teams, as well as the multi-level education and teaching management of athletes and students including junior college, senior high school, junior high school, primary school, vocational skills training and the like.
"In the year of Hangzhou Asian Games, our college will also serve as the training venue for the Asian Games athletes," Xu extended his warm invitation by stating that "we welcome athletes from your countries to come and train here for more communications and interactions!"