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SCMP Sport

China’s freestyle skiing golden couple Wang Xindi and Xu Mengtao have been urged to have a baby after making history at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Wang and Xu became the first married couple to win individual men’s and women’s gold medals in the same event in the same Olympic Games.
On Wednesday, Xu, 35, defended the women’s aerials gold medal she won in Beijing 2022.
Two days later, the 30-year-old Wang triumphed in the men’s event.
Following their historic achievement, Wang and Xu joined figure skating pair Zhao Hongbo and Shen Xue as China’s only married couples to win gold at a Winter Olympics.
Soon after Wang clinched gold, teammate Li Tianma, who claimed bronze behind Switzerland’s Noe Roth, patted the gold medallist on the shoulder and shouted: “Go home! Make a baby!”

While social media users jokingly said they could name their child “Wang Erjin”, which means two gold medals, Wang said it was up to the child if he or she decided to pursue aerial skiing.
“I’ll respect our child’s wishes. I’ll see what our child likes,” he said. “I also worry he or she can’t surpass his parents. But ultimately, health is most important.”
Having failed to reach the final in the past two Games in Beijing 2022 and Pyeongchang 2018, Wang edged past Roth by 1.02 points to take gold.
Despite matching his wife’s feat at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, the Hubei native said his standing in the family is no higher after also becoming an Olympic champion.
“No, my place in the family was long fixed even before we got married,” Wang said. “It was her fifth Olympics, she suffered serious injuries four times, yet she is still a champion. She’s always the first [in the family].
“I’ve made her dream come true. She always tells me to work for it so that we can be a husband and wife pair that are Olympic champions. It’s always been a dream of hers and a target of mine. I made that come true today.”
With their remarkably identical backgrounds, Wang and Xu, who got married on May 20, 2022, were almost destined to be together.
Both started as gymnasts before becoming freestyle skiers at the age of 12, representing the national team at different ages.
Additionally, the pair were doctoral students – Xu graduated from the Beijing Sport University while Wang completed his studies at the Harbin Institute of Technology.
A serious injury at the 2018 Games forced Xu to have almost 70 per cent of the meniscus in her left knee removed, which brought the pair closer together before they committed to a relationship a year later.
Wang made their relationship public after Xu won the women’s aerials gold medal at the Beijing Winter Games in February 2022. In April, Wang proposed to Xu at the training centre before obtaining their marriage certificates a month later.
Competing after his wife defended her title, Wang said he “celebrated her gold” before quickly refocusing on his own event.
“We’ve battled together for years … While I was rejoicing with her, I can’t forget I still have my own event to compete in,” he said. “During competitions, we mostly follow our separate rhythm.
“Sometimes she has ‘pointers’ she wants to share, but also doesn’t want to say so much. But in my heart, I also understand what she wants to say.
“She usually tells me just to be myself, and she sent me a text message yesterday: believe in yourself, believe in your technique and believe in your team.”
Wang also said he dared not to look at social media in the past two days because “If I do, all I see is Xu Mengtao”.

“Even while I’m happy for her, I also had to maintain some distance. I didn’t feel more pressure because of her gold medal,” said Wang, who also teamed up with Xu and Li to take the mixed team aerials bronze.
Wang admitted “there is some advantage” of having a wife who is also an aerials skier.
“We do talk about technique, we discuss and sometimes we disagree, but it’s a positive interaction,” he said. “I believe in her, and she also understands me.”
“Family ties, the warmth of family, is definitely something that helps. This is winter sports after all, you need some warmth.”
Looking ahead, Wang is still unsure if his wife will continue to compete, but he will support her decision no matter what she decides to do.
“She says she will discuss with family, but it’s really up to her. We respect what she wants. She has the passion for it, and she will continue if she wants to.
“If she feels she doesn’t want to compete any more, that’s OK. We’ll just usher in another phase of our lives.”


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Wang Xindi and Xu Mengtao are the first married couple to win individual men’s and women’s gold in the same event in the same Games. Photo: handout

Wang Xindi and Xu Mengtao, who got married in 2022, hug during the mixed team aerials final. Photo: Xinhua

China’s mixed aerials team (from left to right) Li Tianma, Xu Mengtao and Wang Xindi. Photo: Xinhua

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Wang Xindi (centre) and Xu Mengtao (right) walk to meet Li Tianma after his crash during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at the Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, on Saturday. Photo: AP

The US’ Christopher Lillis (left) and Kaila Kuhn celebrate their win. Photo: AP

Bronze medallists (from left) Li Tianma, Xu Mengtao and Wang Xindi. Photo: Xinhua

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Teammate Li Tianma has urged the pair to start a family, with netizens saying they could name a child ‘Wang Erjin’, meaning two gold medals


Teammate Li Tianma has urged the pair to start a family, with netizens saying they could name a child ‘Wang Erjin’, meaning two gold medals.


Written in the snow: Wang Xindi, Xu Mengtao embrace role as China’s golden couple at Games

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Teammate Li Tianma has urged the pair to start a family, with netizens saying they could name a child ‘Wang Erjin’, meaning two gold medals

Teammate Li Tianma has urged the pair to start a family, with netizens saying they could name a child ‘Wang Erjin’, meaning two gold medals