Winning silver in Paris is not the end, gymnastics star Zhou Yaqin looks forward to blooming in Los Angeles
2024-08-07
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After the women's balance beam competition, Zhou Yaqin made a heart shape in front of the camera. Photo/Xinhua News Agency
On the evening of August 5, the women's balance beam final of the Paris Olympic Games came to an end. The 18-year-old Zhou Yaqin won a silver medal for the Chinese gymnastics team with 14.100 points, and Italian player D'Amato won the gold medal with 14.366 points.
Zhou Yaqin said that she was 80% sure to stand on the podium before the game, but there are too many uncertainties in this event. "Winning the silver medal in my first Olympic Games is the highest point of my life. I will rest when I return and hope to have a better performance in Los Angeles (Olympic Games)."
Prepare
Defeated Guan Chenchen 3 years ago and went straight to Paris in May this year
Zhou Yaqin was born in Hengyang, Hunan in November 2005. In 2009, he heard that Hengyang Sports School was recruiting talented students. At the suggestion of a friend, his father Zhou Shuyan took the three-year-old Yaqin to try out. Unexpectedly, she was selected.
A few days later, Zhou Yaqin, led by her father, entered the gate of Hengyang Sports School. Zhou Yaqin looked around with curiosity in her eyes. After visiting the gymnastics training room, the little girl told her father that it was fun here and she wanted to stay.
In the eyes of Zhou Yaqin's first coach Xia Hong, this is a lively little girl with good coordination skills. After a period of training, Xia Hong found that the little girl has talent and is willing to endure hardships. With her recommendation, Zhou Yaqin joined the Hunan Provincial Team. Despite the busy training, the master and apprentice still keep in touch, and Xia Hong often encourages the little apprentice over the phone.
Zhou Yaqin's performance at the 2021 Shaanxi National Games was eye-catching. In the women's gymnastics balance beam final, she defeated several national team athletes including Tokyo Olympic champion Guan Chenchen and won the championship.
In the 2023 National Championships, Zhou Yaqin won the championship in the floor exercise event. In the same year's World Championships, she lost to American star Biles in the balance beam final and won a silver medal. This petite girl has great potential.
In 2024, Zhou Yaqin is in good shape. In the World Cup Cottbus in February, she won the gold medals in both the balance beam and floor exercise events. In the women's individual all-around event of the National Championships in April, Zhou Yaqin, who represented Hunan, won a bronze medal; in the women's balance beam final, she completed a set of moves with a difficulty score of 7.2 and a completion score of 8.266, winning the championship with a total score of 15.466.
In late May, the Chinese gymnastics team announced the roster for the Paris Olympics, and Zhou Yaqin occupied one of the three direct qualifying spots.
In the women's balance beam final, Zhou Yaqin showed her full potential. Photo/Xinhua News Agency
Stadium
The women's team made mistakes in the finals, but won the silver medal on the balance beam to defend their honor
In order to better watch his daughter's games, Zhou Shuyan specially replaced the TV with a larger screen during the Paris Olympics. Since joining the provincial team, Zhou Yaqin has been getting busier and busier. Watching games and photos is a way for Zhou Shuyan and his wife to relieve their longing for their daughter.
On July 28, Zhou Yaqin and her teammates ranked third in the Paris Olympic Women's Gymnastics Team Qualifying Competition and successfully advanced to the women's team finals. She also advanced to the balance beam finals as the first in the preliminaries. In the women's team finals in the early morning of August 2, Zhou Yaqin made a mistake on the balance beam and the Chinese women's team finally won sixth place.
After the game, talking about the game, Zhou Yaqin said with tears in her eyes that she was a little nervous and her legs were shaking a little. "Competitive sports are cruel. There will always be people who are satisfied and there will always be people who are disappointed." She said that she still needs to improve her own strength and leave others speechless.
In the women's balance beam final on the evening of August 5, Zhou Yaqin showed her full potential and won a silver medal. Although her performance was flawed in her first Olympic Games, she also gained valuable experience. Seeing Zhou Yaqin win a medal in Paris, I believe her parents in front of the screen will also be proud and happy for her.
Beijing News reporter Zhao Xue
Editor: Wang Chunqiu
Proofread by Liu Yue
