Get ready to cheer, sports fans! 🙌 Chinese hurdler Wu Yanni is gearing up to make her Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, and she's bringing her unique style and flair to the track. 🏃♀️💨
Wu clinched the silver medal in the women's 100-meter hurdles at the 31st FISU World University Games in Chengdu, China's Sichuan Province, in 2023. Reflecting on her achievement, she shared with CGTN Sports Scene's Zhu Mandan, \"I really didn't expect to do that. I entered the race thinking that maybe I could qualify for the Olympics this time. But I really didn't expect to actually do it. So when I did it, I was really, really excited.\"
But Wu isn't just about winning medals; she's on a mission to break stereotypes in the world of athletics. \"I hope to break the stereotype that most people have about track and field athletes,\" she said. \"People tend to think that we are short-haired, don't do any make-up, and that we are just ordinary athletes. I think now, in the 21st century, athletes should be able to show their individuality, show the world a different kind of beauty in the sport of track and field. So maybe I always look a bit overdressed on the track.\" 💄✨
For Wu, sprinting is more than a career—it's a journey of personal growth. \"Defeats and injuries are what happens to athletes,\" she noted. \"There's no way to avoid it. What is really difficult is to live through that and grow from that.\" 💪
As the countdown to Paris 2024 begins, Wu Yanni is not just aiming to compete; she's set to inspire a new generation of athletes with her talent and individuality. Keep an eye out for this trailblazing hurdler as she races towards her Olympic dreams! 🏅🇨🇳
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
