Regrets, Xu has a few
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China Daily, January 17, 2012
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China's Xu Mengtao is expected to be a strong title contender in the freestyle skiing aerials at the Sochi Winter Games. Luo Xiaoguang / Xinhua |
It's been two years since Xu Mengtao's mistake. In two more years, she'll have a chance to make up for it.
Appearing at the 12th National Winter Games in Changchun, Jilin province, aerial skier Xu said she still regrets what happened two years ago at the Vancouver Olympics, but is growing more confident she can make up for it in Sochi in 2014.
"If I stood on the ground firmly at Vancouver, I might have become an Olympic champion," said the 21-year-old, who ranked first after the first jump at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, but finished six after falling on the second.
"I am not short on the degree of difficulty of my movements, but I should improve my stability," Xu said after winning one gold, one silver and one bronze at the domestic Winter Games. "I will start to prepare for the 2014 Winter Olympics after the National Games, and my target is to take a medal and strive for the gold. I'm confident in myself."
Though Xu's two signature moves are already among the most difficult in the world, she said she's looking to up the difficulty for 2014.
"We are two years away from the Sochi Olympics, and I will practice the new movements through a series of matches according to the plan my coach made for me," said Xu, who will compete in ten World Cup tournaments this year.
Snowboarder Cai Xuetong is also hoping to make history in Sochi. The 18-year-old won the 2009-2010 FIS Snowboard World Cup in Canada, was runner-up in Switzerland, and was the season's overall champion. She won bronze at the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado last December.
Cai is hoping for a title.
"I hope I can win an Olympic gold, no matter how long it will take, of course it will be the best if I can take it in Sochi," said Cai.
"Only people who have targets can continue to make progress," she said. "To realize my Olympic dream, I will work on it with all efforts whatever it takes."
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