Venezuelan BMX legend Daniel Dhers will compete in his last Olympic Games in Paris, and beyond his individual goal of going as far as possible, Dhers also hopes to guide Chinese riders to win medals as a coach. Having proved his expertise with a Chinese women podium sweep at the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai, the 39-year-old seeks to continue cooperation with Team China after his retirement.
By Sportswriters Yao Youming, Wang Chunyan and Xu Dongyuan
SHANGHAI, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Although Venezuela's BMX freestyle cyclist Daniel Dhers only finished 10th at the Olympic Qualifier Series Shanghai, the 39-year-old could leave the court as a winner.
With his help, Chinese riders Sun Sibei, Sun Jiaqi and Deng Yawen swept the podium at women's BMX freestyle park event.
"They trusted the process, they stuck to the plan. We couldn't ask for better results for team China. Three of them are the best," Dhers said.
Dhers is no doubt among the greatest names in the history of this new sport. He had been crowned in X Games for five times, and bagged a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympic Games.
When some riders, such as Tokyo bronze medalist Nikita Ducarroz and American world champion Hannah Roberts, had trouble finding training facilities during the pandemic, Dhers took them to his home to train at his private 'Daniel Dhers Complex' in North Carolina of the United States.
"When I was growing up in riding, the best riders in the world also helped me. Eventually you need to give it back to the sport," Dhers told Xinhua.
In the eyes of Costa Rican Kenneth Tencio, nothing can break the friendship between him and Dhers.
"Although BMX freestyle is now an Olympic sport, the riders are still a family," Tencio ever told the official website of International Olympic Committee (IOC).
One year ago, Dhers received team China's invitation for a coaching position and decided to accept the offer after learning about the country's ambition to develop the BMX freestyle event. Since then he has been trying to pass on to his riders all he had learned throughout his 25-year-long career.
"I somewhat have a system without really thinking about it. Obviously, with the Chinese team, it takes a bit more preparation, because it had to be more precise," Dhers said.
For him, the biggest challenge came from explaining the feelings to his cyclists.
"Some things are very difficult to explain. Because in BMX you can train on the trick for one million times, but there is something about feeling. If the feeling is not there, that moment, it doesn't work."
In February's World Cup in Enoshima, Japan, Roberts took the first place, and Deng was the only Chinese rider that reached the podium.
"We had bad performances in Japan, so we had to make some adjustments. I think we have a good thing going on. I'm running with them and you know, they keep me on my toes," Dhers said.
Compared with their female counterpart that proved Dhers' adjustments right to the point with a podium sweep on home soil, the Chinese men's team needed more time to achieve breakthroughs. However, Dhers had enough patience and confidence to help them chase the footsteps of the world's best cyclists.
"I keep giving them tasks and things like, hey, man, this isn't gonna matter today, but it will matter in four or five years."
Speaking of the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, Dhers is looking forward to guiding Chinese riders to win medals. For himself, the legend cyclist wishes to go as far as possible, and a medal would make his last Olympic campaign even sweeter.
As for his plan after retirement, the Venezuelan veteran voiced hope to have a long-term cooperation with team China.
"I'm very, very intrigued about Chinese culture. I need to learn the language, more or less. That's my next goal," The coach said. ■
