How the Beijing Olympics are going, athlete diary: photos and video

The Olympic Games have almost come to an end. The judges have handed out almost all the medal sets, and some athletes have already gone home. Let’s face it, it was not an easy fight. Our hero decided to share with you what happened during the Games.

Russian luger, member of the Olympic team.

Hi! I’m Roma Repilov again. After such a long time I’m here again and I’m ready to tell you what happened next.

February 1: “The Chinese are very systematic comrades. I have no complaints about them.”

The first four days in Beijing we acclimatized, went to the gym to train, put kilometers on the exercise bike and walked around the village.

By the way, it’s very coolly done. The layout is themed, there are different locations. In general, the atmosphere in China is much cooler than in Korea. In Korea, it’s just a residential area where they put a tent with food in the center, and that’s it. The high-rises are standing, and you live in them, you only go out to eat. There was practically nothing.

I tried to videotape everything and hopefully I’ll get together a little later to edit one big blog.

This is my second Olympics and it’s different altogether. Naturally, the first thing that sticks out is the covid restrictions. We have to wear a mask at all times, handle our hands, go through room sanitization, pick up food with gloves and sit across the glass from each other. Of course, we’re used to it by now since we’ve been living under these rules for a year. Nothing can surprise us.

Today, as every day before breakfast, we had PCR tests, from 7:00 to 11:00, you can come at any time. The special thing is that the test was done through the mouth, not through the nose. The Chinese barely picked there with a stick, nothing terrible. It was painless and gentle.

I have only positive emotions from the organization of the Olympics. Yes, there were nuances in terms of movements and our departures from the track, but this is because the Chinese are very systematic people. If there is an itinerary, there are clear stops, clear departure and departure times, and they don’t deviate from it at all. In all other cases, you can turn to volunteers. A very serious system was set up, everyone helped everyone. In this regard, there are no complaints to them at all, on the contrary, only praise. There was also an English-speaking Chinese in each squad, roughly speaking, who solved everything. In any case, there was Wi-Fi, I set up a translator, and we communicated freely.

February 2-3: “Nothing special.”

It’s business as usual and nothing that special. We don’t have qualification at the Olympics themselves, we qualify at the World Cups. At the Games we have a squad that will 100% participate in the race. That is, you have to get to the Olympics itself, qualify according to all quotas, according to the norms and perform.

The training races for men’s groups A and B started. We arrived, we were given two races from the women’s start in order to prepare for the relay. Then we skated three days twice from the men’s starting point. And then the race. It wasn’t anything that special.

February 4: “I wanted to go to the opening ceremony of the Games, but it didn’t work out”.

I wanted to go to the opening ceremony today. The ceremony was relatively close, two hours by car. It just so happened that I had to leave five hours before the start, and, accordingly, I had to stay there for another three hours, standing, waiting for my turn. Because of this I did not go. I will stand – my back will swell, and the next day the race. So I decided not to. I really wanted to, but it didn’t work out, it was bad luck.

February 5: “9th place is not what four years of my life were put in for.”

No comment, folks. 9th place is not what four years of life was put in for. But win or lose, I always feel your support, for which each of you a big Army thank you🤝 There will be another opportunity to compete for medals, so we’re looking forward to the relay on the low start.

Feb. 10: “Everyone ran to their strengths, but no miracle happened.”

That’s it… A “wooden” medal in the relay. Everyone ran their best, but no miracle happened. The right conclusions have already been made. Now we are on the road again, four years, from scratch to this peak. I would like to say a special thank you to all the fans. You are always by my side, no matter what happens, it is felt and very important for me🤜🤛 Thank you for that. Many more times we will celebrate victories together and enjoy the beautiful fight😉.

Edited by Pavel Sukhorukov.