Ever heard the saying, \"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger\"? That's pretty much the life motto of China's sprint sensation, Xie Zhenye. 🌟 At almost 31, he's gearing up to potentially become the first Chinese sprinter to compete in four consecutive Summer Olympic Games at Paris 2024. Talk about legendary status! 🏆
Xie's journey hasn't been a smooth sprint down the track—more like a hurdle race with ups and downs. At 16, a serious hip fracture almost ended his career before it began. His coach even suggested he hang up his spikes and hit the books instead. But Xie wasn't about to slow down. Just a year later, he snagged the gold in the men's 200 meters at the Youth Summer Olympics in Singapore, clocking in at 21.22 seconds. Not too shabby, right? 🥇
Since then, Xie's career has been a rollercoaster of groundbreaking achievements and challenging setbacks. He made his Olympic debut in London 2012 before turning 19, smashed national records in the 200 meters, and helped set the Asian record in the men's 4×100-meter relay. By 21, he was already securing silver at the World Championships in Beijing. 🚀
But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Missing the 200-meter finals at the 2014 Asian Games and the 2015 World Championships was a tough pill to swallow. Still, Xie bounced back by breaking the Chinese 100-meter record in 9.97 seconds in 2017, and setting a new Asian record in the 200 meters in 19.88 seconds in 2018! Just when things were heating up, an injury forced him to withdraw from the 2018 Asian Games. Talk about a plot twist! 😱
Now, with Paris 2024 on the horizon, Xie isn't just chasing medals—he's chasing joy. \"I just want to enjoy the race,\" he says. And honestly, isn't that what it's all about? 🌈 Whether he makes history or not, Xie's story is a testament to resilience, passion, and never giving up on your dreams. So here's to Xie Zhenye—may his strides inspire us all to keep pushing forward! 💪🔥
Reference(s):
Chinese sprinter Xie Zhenye just wants to enjoy race at Paris 2024
cgtn.com
