Three hopefuls sent to US in bid to snap title drought

[fiercemao]

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90779/90867/6519001.html

Bidding to end a decade-long major title drought in the arena of China's women's figure skating, three local teenagers are now training in the US with the coach of retired world champion Chen Lu to try and replicate some of her record-breaking success.

Geng Bingwa, 14, Zhang Kexin, 12 and Li Zijun, 11, were selected by star coach Li Mingzhu to train under her at Eastwest Ice Palace last month. They now carry the burden of rejuvenating China's chances at the top end of the sport.

Li said her three latest wards have the potential to scale the pinnacles of the sport.

"They have been training here for about three weeks, and they are working very hard," Li said in a telephone interview.

"Training overseas is an opportunity for them as well as a great challenge, since the conditions here are totally different. I hope they can benefit as much as possible from this."

Figure skating has become increasingly internationalized and we also plan on following this trend," said Yang.

"The training systems of powerhouses like the US, Japan and Russia are tried-and-tested success stories so if our cooperation with Li goes as planned we may pursue similar ventures with our male skaters."

Li also commented Zhang Kexin was a better jumper, but Geng Bingwa was more flexible and artistic. Li Zijun is still too young. Zhang is able to do 5 different triples and has recently mastered triple+triple combination in practice.

Li Zijun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJxblMLQp3I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRWM-dX3UKI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5uv_MHguNo

 

[feraina]

Thanks for the post! Li Zijun is adorable, and very talented, I've never seen her skate before. Obviously she needs work on her jumps, but she has natural presentation skills, deep, soft edges (for an 11-year-old), and plenty of flexibility.

Good luck to all three girsl!

 

[Mathman]

For some reason I am always interested in the behind the scenes arrangements in figure skating. Coach Li Mingzhu is based at the East-West Ice Palace, owned by Michelle Kwan and her family and underwritten by the East-West bank, a bank that got its start in the U.S. by providing financial services to Chinese immigrant families in California.

I can't help but wonder if some kind of big China-U.S. enterprise is in the works for the future.

 

[feraina]

I can't help but wonder if some kind of big China-U.S. enterprise is in the works for the future.

Mathman, you haven't lived in CA much, have you? At the UC campus where I teach, more students are ethnically Asian than any other ethnicity, including whites. My physical therapist is Asian, my officemate is Asian, my hairdresser is Asian. Asian (most of whom ethnically Chinese) and American people (and cultures) are inextricably entertwined here. So I wouldn't conclude the convergence of some Chinese people and businesses in a particular instance as heralding a new big China-U.S. enterprise. Unless you want to call the whole state of California as a developing China-U.S. enterprise.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Most US immigrants do not come under the 'give me your tired, your poor, your humble, etc.' They come in with money and their childen go to excellent schools.

The lesser immigrants come via a challenging chase from the US authorities. They have nothing, but if they're lucky, they can do those jobs Americans will not

 

[lcd]

Don't Lu Chen and Denis Petrov have a role with some pretty sizable skating school/rink/program in China? By now, there must be some early signs of promise emerging from there, wouldn't you think? I was really puzzled - frankly - as to why, give Lulu's incredible success, a whole raft of little "Lulu's" did not follow, like 2 Olympic cycles (6- years later?). You know... a bunch of wide eye'd 8 year olds seeign her on the TV, then become impressive 14-16 year olds? Never happened.... I suppose facilities, coaching... etc... but still...