During interviews at the Paris Olympics women's street skateboarding event on the 29th, the most frequently heard words from the athletes were "passion" and "enjoyment". Cui Chenxi, who secured the fourth place and set the best Olympic record for China in this event, remarked, "If it's just about achieving results, there's no need for me to compete." Thirteen-year-old Zhu Yuanling, who has been eating well and sleeping soundly in Paris, said, "I felt that it was more relaxed to be in the Olympics than the qualifications." Zeng Wenhui, the first Chinese skateboarder to compete in the Olympics, advised, "Just enjoy it."
Zhu Yuanling: a 13-year-old girl enjoying her Olympic journey
Upon arriving in Paris, 13-year-old Zhu Yuanling was delighted with her everyday life, eating well and sleeping soundly. She wasn't nervous at all, saying, "I felt that it was more relaxing to be in the Olympics than the qualifications." Transitioning from trampoline to skateboarding in 2021, Zhu Yuanling fell in love with the sport because she found it "fun", and she especially enjoys practicing "big tricks" and has picked up a ton of them. "After three years of playing, here I am at the Olympics," she said.
Zhu Yuanling would like to rate her Olympic performance a 7 out of 10, deducting 3 points for failing to finish a complete route due to nervousness. But she quickly reassured herself, "It's okay not to succeed; just making it to the Olympics has already achieved my goal."
Zeng Wenhui: a pioneer's passion and dedication
Another athlete, Zeng Wenhui from Guangdong, is the first Chinese skateboarder to compete in the Olympics. As a "pioneer", she had to overcome challenges related to training conditions and lack of experience. Transitioning from a martial artist to a skateboarder, Zeng Wenhui managed to learn the necessary basics in one year to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, while others needed two years.
After finishing sixth in her first Olympic journey, Zeng Wenhui aimed for a better place in her second appearance. However, with ambition comes nervousness, and the rule changes for the Paris Olympics also highlighted her weaknesses in line completion. After missing the finals, Zeng Wenhui was able to let go of the pressure and return to her original aspiration, saying, "Skateboarding requires persistence; don't treat it as a competitive sport, just enjoy it."
Cui Chenxi: relishing every moment of skateboarding
14-year-old Cui Chenxi shared this sentiment. When asked what advice she would give to children learning skateboarding, she replied like a grown-up, "If you don't like skateboarding and only care about results, there's no need to learn it; you should enjoy the process."
Cui Chenxi views her skateboard as a friend and even after a fall the day before, "I will 'make up' with it the next day". She detailed her passion for skateboarding, saying, "The tricks I enjoy have a high success rate, and I really love my big tricks, so I can always perform them very well… After completing a difficult trick, I feel very proud of myself. The applause and encouragement give me a special feeling; I really love this sport."
Under the bright sunshine at Place de la Concorde, the three girls smiled brightly and answered the questions cheerfully. Their passion made them vibrant, and perhaps this is the essence we most want to see.
Source: Yangcheng Evening News
