former rowing champion excited for new role at the upcoming asian games -和记娱乐平台在线
ding yanjie (fourth from left) and her team members won a gold medal at the 2010 asian games in guangzhou (photo by ding yanjie)
“twelve years ago, i won a gold medal at the 16th asian games guangzhou in 2010. this year, my hometown ningbo is one of the co-host cities for the upcoming 19th asian games. i’d love to help out as a volunteer or a rowing referee at this great event,” ding yanjie, an asian games gold medalist in women’s quadruple sculls, told ningbo evening news. “it would be an honor for me to participate in the games again.”
“12年前，我在广州亚运会上获得了冠军。今年的亚运会将在家门口举行，我有一个心愿，我想去参加亚运会——以志愿者的方式或者以赛艇裁判的方式。”2010年广州亚运会赛艇女子四人单桨项目冠军丁延洁，接受宁波晚报记者采访时说，“不知道是不是有这个荣幸，还是想出一份力。”
ding recalled that she was selected for the school basketball team because of her height when she was studying at cixi cangtian middle school. “at the time, i thought i’d devote my life to basketball. but it wasn’t long before i was chosen by the rowing coach and became a water sports athlete,” ding said. “since i was a teenager, i’ve been taller than other girls. females over a height of 5'11" are uncommon in ningbo. even with the inbuilt advantage, in my childhood i never envisaged myself as an athlete. singing was my favourite recreation after school – though i might not be a good singer.”
丁延洁回忆，自己刚进入慈溪沧田初中读书时，因为身材比较高，成为校篮球队的一员。“当时以为会一直在篮球运动上发展下去，结果没多久又被赛艇队教练相中，成了水上项目运动员。”丁延洁笑称，“我从小个子就长得比别的女孩子高，在宁波，像我这样身高超过1.8米的女生也不算太多吧。不过即使有先天的身高优势，小时候也从来没有想过要练体育，而是喜欢唱歌，不一定唱得有多好，但每天回家都会唱好久。”
ding started rowing training at ningbo water sports training base in november 2002 and was selected for the zhejiang rowing team the following august thanks to her great progress. “i thought of quitting training from the provincial team due to criticism for my laziness, but i finally stayed,” ding added. it is true that persistence pays off. she won one bronze medal at china’s 11th national games in 2009, one gold and one silver at the 2010 asian games and the 2010 world rowing championship respectively.
丁延洁于2002年11月进入宁波水上运动训练基地开始接受赛艇训练，进步飞快，次年8月就被浙江省赛艇队选中。“进入省队之后，因为有一次偷懒被教练发现，我还撂过挑子，坚决要回家，当然后来没走成……”丁延洁说，如今回头去看，真的是坚持就是胜利。她后来在全运会上拿了铜牌，在广州亚运会上获得女子四人单桨项目金牌，在赛艇世界杯上获得过亚军。
ding has obtained the teacher’s qualification certificate prior to her retirement. in 2007, she returned to ningbo as a leading teacher in the first episode of the “campus rowing” campaign launched by ningbo sports authorities, together with zhu ziqiang, another asian games gold medalist in men’s rowing.
丁延洁退役之前，就考取了教师资格证。2017年宁波体育部门推出“赛艇进校园”活动时，丁延洁和宁波另一名赛艇亚运会冠军朱自强专程赶回宁波，担任第一期活动带头人。
retiring from the provincial team, ding became a rowing coach at ningbo vocational education center school. she then returned to her hometown and became a teacher at cixi cangtian experimental school.
后来丁延洁从省队回甬后，进入宁波职教中心，担任了一段时间赛艇社团教练后，回到家乡慈溪任教。20年里兜兜转转，丁延洁如今又回到了慈溪沧田实验学校，成了一名老师。
“when i was on the provincial team, we often trained abroad for a few months in places like in germany and the uk. it is common to see locals with their car-top rowing boats or kayaks, and water rowing is a nationwide sport that appeals to citizens of all ages,” ding said. interest in water sports has been increasing in china, but rowing still has a long way to go.
“以前在专业队当运动员的时候，经常随着队伍去国外训练。有时候去德国、英国等国家，在那边一练就是个把月。我们经常能看到当地人车顶上装着一只赛艇或者皮艇，在水面划船的人，年纪很大的、年纪很小的都有，感觉就是全民运动。”丁延洁说，现在国内也有越来越多的人开始尝试体验水上运动，但是能在业余时间“荡起双桨”的市民总体还是太少。
water sports, ding believes, are vital for youngsters due to the immersive experiences with nature and how they develop an appreciation of the wonderful local scenery. “ningbo is rich in water resources and participating in water sports not only improves physical fitness and fosters team spirit, but also helps people enjoy life and cultivate healthy lifestyles.”
在丁延洁看来，尤其应该多让孩子们通过水上运动去融入自然，换一个视角去看家乡的好山好水：“宁波水上资源很多，参加水上运动一方面是很好的身体锻炼方式，也能培养团队精神；另一方面是去感受美好的生活环境，去培养美好的生活方式。”
the rowing training base of ningbo water (swimming) sports school is located in cixi. there are over 30 teen athletes preparing for the 17th games of zhejiang province, which is to be held in november. ding is looking forward to visiting her former coach han hongsheng and assisting in training junior athletes at the base.
宁波市水上（游泳）运动学校的赛艇训练基地设在慈溪，目前有30余名青少年运动员正在备战今年11月举行的省运会。丁延洁有空就会到基地转转，看看当年培养自己的恩师韩红升，也协助指导一下小师弟小师妹们。
“sometimes i chat with the kids telling them there are no shortcuts to success. no pain, no gain,” ding said. she also expressed her best wishes for the upcoming 19th asian games, “give the best of yourself and show good sportsmanship.”
“有时候和小队员们聊聊天，告诉他们运动员成长的道路上没有捷径，成绩必须用汗水和努力来换取。”丁延洁说。同时她也对记者表示，在杭州亚运会到来之际，“也祝愿中国的亚运健儿们赛出水平，赛出风格。”
reporter: dai bin
translators: mei jie, wang fang
proofreaders: puyang rong, huang dawang, jason mowbray
editor: li xiaoying
senior editor: ren xiaoyun
editorial director: xu jie
chief editor: yang jingya