Xinhua News Agency, Tianjin, June 6th issue: a Sino-Russian friendly match rekindled the enthusiasm of ice hockey in the birthplace of Chinese ice hockey
Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Zewei, Wang Hui, Wang Haoyu
as the director of Tianjin winter and water Sports Management Center, zhang Zhongquan has seen many ice hockey matches, but the Sino-Russian youth ice hockey friendly match held on June 8, 2018 left him the deepest impression. This game opened a new chapter in Tianjin ice hockey.
As the largest port city in northern China, Tianjin has always had the tradition of ice hockey. China’s modern ice hockey sport landed in China from Tianjin. At one time, there were a large number of ice hockey fans here, and some universities and large-scale enterprises have set up their own ice hockey teams.
But later, due to reasons such as insufficient investment and attention, Tianjin’s ice hockey gradually declined. There is a lack of ice rink, even without its own hockey team. Some Tianjin children who play ice hockey can only go to Beijing and other places to play.
“The Sino-Russian youth ice hockey friendly match injected us with a dose of ‘strong heart’, which greatly boosted the development of Tianjin ice hockey.” Zhang Zhongquan said.
On the second day of the Sino-Russian friendly match, the winter and water sports management center established in Tianjin was officially listed. Subsequently, Tianjin youth ice hockey team and male and female adult ice hockey teams gradually resumed formation. Some administrative districts with venues and atmosphere will also establish ice hockey amateur sports schools and district-level ice hockey teams.
Tianjin arena, which held the friendly match, was converted into a professional ice hockey hall. Meanwhile, Tianjin has established four youth ice and snow training bases, two of which are specialized ice hockey training bases. An air film ice hockey stadium under construction will be completed by the end of July this year. In addition, Tianjin and the State General Administration of Sports jointly built a training base in thistu district, and will build 7 ice rinks and a big road Hall, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
With management and service organizations, venues and teams, there are naturally more people participating in ice hockey. At present, the puckster that Tianjin can participate in official competitions has increased to more than 200 people, and the number of people participating in ice hockey has already reached thousands.
Ice hockey matches are becoming increasingly rich. At present, there are more than 20 ice hockey matches in Tianjin every year. In the second half of this year, it is also planned to organize Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei ice hockey matches, club leagues and other mass ice hockey matches. At the same time, through hard work, Tianjin successfully won the right to host group B of the 2020 International Ice Hockey Federation U18 World Ice Hockey Championship. This is after Beijing successfully held group B of the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Hockey Championship, ice Hockey World Championship once again settled in China.
In order to better promote the popularization of ice hockey, Tianjin is actively promoting ice hockey into the campus, preparing to do a pilot in Jinnan district first. The school is responsible for organizing, supporting Tianjin Winter center, providing venues for social ice rink, the three parties cooperated to complete the work of ice hockey entering the campus.
Now, on the first anniversary of the Sino-Russian youth ice hockey friendly match, Zhang Zhongquan hopes that the good momentum of the development of Tianjin ice hockey will continue, and also hopes that the friendship of exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia will continue.
“We hope to continue this kind of ice hockey friendly match between China and Russia as a traditional exchange event.” He said that Tianjin and Russia have maintained active communication at present, and both sides hope to take the youth ice hockey friendly match as a long-term exchange event. The time of the competition and the form of communication are all in communication.
Zhang Zhongquan said that Tianjin has the tradition of ice hockey and also has the advantage of backwardness. He hopes to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Russia and other ice hockey powers through his own efforts and development, make Tianjin’s ice hockey more popular and improved. “As a part of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, we hope to participate in the ice hockey project in depth and strive to have our Tianjin athletes.” He said.