Fierce competition, but no iciness between curlers

Despite their chilly relations, China and the United States have found something in common on the ice - a shared love for curling, commemorative pins and dumplings.

With the curling mixed doubles competition in full swing, the interaction between the Chinese pair and their US opponents following their round-robin encounter on Saturday stole the show at the National Aquatics Center, which has been turned into the "Ice Cube" for the Winter Olympics.

Despite losing their third straight match to the US team (7-5), the Chinese pair of Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan knew how to play the good hosts as they presented two sets of the Games' commemorative pins as gifts to their rivals during the post-match handshakes and received warm feedback from the US duo of Vicky Persinger and Christopher Plys.

"We haven't received anything like this so the fact that they gifted us while we're in their country is super kind and I'm sure that these Games are really fun for them," Persinger said after the match. "It will just be something great that we can hang onto to remember this event in the future."

Plys, a veteran who made his Olympic debut at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, said he will keep the pins on his desk for a long time.

"They're just beautiful, something super unique," said the 34-year-old Minnesota native. "I'm definitely going to have to give them something now. They've upped their game big time. We'll find something special to give them to hold on to."

Although disappointed with their third straight loss, the Chinese team insists that no matter how fierce the competition is on the ice the mutual respect and friendship among athletes from different culture backgrounds will only grow.

""It is a tradition of curling. Athletes are friendly to each other. This is what makes the Olympics so special," said Ling, a native of the northeastern Chinese city Harbin.

"Christopher told me he likes Harbin, where I am from. I sincerely welcome him to travel to Harbin when the pandemic is over."

With the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics running throughout the traditional Spring Festival holiday break in China, athletes from around the world have taken to social media to express their interest in the culture experience activities held inside the Olympic Village.

The American duo are no exception, voicing their appreciation of the food on offer at the athletes canteen in the village.

"Hot pot, dumplings, beef cabbage and chili oil source ... we've tried a lot of food. I love dumplings, they are so good," said Plys, who visited China for the first time in 2016 to compete at a tournament in Harbin.

Plys, who learned about Beijing from his friends who came to China to teach English, also urged the athletes' focus on sports during the Olympics to be respected, despite the ongoing political disputes and culture differences.

"I've been lucky enough with curling to travel all over the world. I don't let our country's politics get in the way of what's going on," he said. "Let other people at the government level talk about that. When we're at these curling events, with both sides getting a chance play the game that we love, there's just a lot of mutual respect for each other."

"I've never felt one time any animosity (from them) towards us or our country, and we try to show them the same respect. At the end of the day, man, we all bleed the same blood and play the same game.

"It's fun to experience each other's cultures a bit and show them it's all love."