Olympicks: China Curling Team's Shock Result; Jackie Chan Helps Kick off 1,000-Day Olympic Countdown

In OlymPicks, we highlight news, gossip, and developments regarding the buildup to Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics.

China’s Curling Hotshots

Well, we didn't see that one coming. The Chinese men's curling team pulled off a surprise upset win against Olympic American gold medalist John Schuster's team at the Curling World Cup Final in Beijing over the weekend.

Chinese teams hadn't even properly qualified for the tournament (but were allowed to compete as members of the host nation), but their 'special guest' status didn't stop them from defeating the far more established US team on May 10, delighting the home crowd at Beijing’s newly opened Shougang Arena in the process.

Among the highlights of the winning game: “a beautiful throw to just outside the button [like a bullseye on the ice] to level the score at 2-2 at halftime,” as described by Spencer Musick, sports editor at Xinhua News Agency's English desk in his coverage of the cup.

What’s more: the Chinese men's team then went on to defeat Matt Dunstone's Canadian team in what CGTN called a “thrilling” 4-3 victory in the silver medal round on May 12. China's winning streak was then cut short by another Canadian team led by Kevin Koe of Calgary in the gold medal showdown.

China’s strong silver medal showing far exceeded expectations, an especially heartening result considering that the players are so new to the game. Their success lies, at least in part, with the fact that a veritable army of top-notch pros like Olympic medalist Shannon Kleibrink has been hired as coaches and consultants for the Chinese players. As Kleibrik pointed out in a prior interview with the Beijinger, many of the Chinese curling newbies are already seasoned gymnasts, swimmers, and speed skaters, with enough discipline to excel in new sports, with the proper training.

“There are two reasons behind China's impressive silver medal result” this past weekend according to Musick, the Xinhua sports editor. “First of all, curling is both a physical and a mental challenge. A team can have room to grow in one area but still do well by compensating in the other. In the case of the Chinese team, their physical execution was strong enough to propel them almost to the end, but they made strategic blunders that ended up costing them.”

“But," he adds, "because a curling team's success depends on the strategic cohesion of just four players, it is relatively easy to improve quickly on this front, and China has shown that it is willing to devote the resources to make that happen.”

Shougang Rink Awes Onlookers

It wasn't just the action on the ice that impressed this weekend, but also the venue itself. 

The Shougang Arena, located in the west of Beijing, is a former factory that has been revamped in order to serve the events before, and during, the Beijing 2022 Games, and proponents call it as a prime example of attempts to be sustainable and avoid the waste that has plagued prior Olympic Games.

Any concerns about a frugal factory revamp were dashed during this weekend’s World Cup, according to audiences. “The design is really world class,” says Musick. “Everything is sparkling new. It is amazing how they have re-purposed things.” Musick says that he's looking forward to returning because "they appear to be building a luge track on top of an old industrial installation.”

Gold Medalists and Jackie Chan Kick off 1,000-Day Olympic Countdown

As if the excitement at Shougang wasn’t enough, Beijing 2022 officials provided even more hype with a glitzy “1,000-day countdown” event this weekend, a little further north at Beijing's Olympic Park. Among the superstars on hand at the May 10 event: actor Jackie Chan (once again), gold medal speed skater Wu Dajing, and beloved snowboarder Pang Qiaorong.

Linglong Tower, which overlooks Beijing Olympic venues like the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube, was emblazoned with a massive LED screen flashing the number “1,000.”

According to a press release from the event, the official mascots for the 2022 Games are expected to be unveiled in the second half of 2019, and several new venues will be completed and ready for test events by the end of the year.

Read more about sustainability schemes for the 2022 Games here.

Photos: Curling World Cup, Xinhua 1, Spencer Musick, National Post, telegraph.co.uk, Xinhua (2)