✨ When most athletes might be hanging up their sneakers, China's legendary shot putter Gong Lijiao is gearing up for her fifth Olympic Games! At 35 years young, she's all set to make a splash at the Paris 2024 Olympics. 🎯
Gong isn't just any athlete; she's one of the world's most decorated track and field stars. With two world championships and an Olympic gold medal under her belt, she's a force to be reckoned with. Remember her epic throw of 20.58 meters at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021? That wasn't just her personal best—it was a golden moment that had us all cheering! 🥇
But Gong's story isn't just about medals and records. It's about relentless passion and the drive to keep pushing boundaries. \"When I threw 20.53 meters, I knew that I would win the title,\" Gong shared with China Media Group. \"After that, I felt such a relief and aimed for 21 meters.\" Talk about never settling! 💪
This season, Gong reunited with her coach Dieter Kollark from Germany. Even though they couldn't meet in person right away, technology bridged the gap. Kollark crafted detailed daily training plans for Gong online, and by June, she was ramping up her training. With over two decades of experience, she's honed her skills, flexibility, and mindset to perfection. 🏋️♀️
While her top performance this season is 19.72 meters, placing her seventh globally, Gong isn't fazed. She's heading to Germany to train with Kollark and will compete in a series of events to gear up for the Olympics. \"I'm at a different age, but I still have the same goal, which is, as always, to win the title and to surpass my best record,\" she said. 🌟
We can't wait to see what Gong achieves next! Will she break her own record? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure—we're rooting for her all the way! 🙌
Reference(s):
Five Olympic Games, five Olympic Rings mark Gong Lijiao's dream
cgtn.com
