Chinese artistic gymnast Zhou Yaqin was relatively unknown until she clinched the balance beam gold medal at China’s National Games in Shaanxi Province in September 2021.
In that competition, six of the eight finalists were national team members. At just 15 years old, Zhou was not among them, yet she emerged as the champion. Some attributed her victory to luck, noting that even the best can falter on the beam. However, Zhou consistently proved her doubters wrong in the years that followed.
“I knew I was competing against national champions, world champions, and Olympic gold medalists,” Zhou said. “I understood that I had to work hard because winning at the National Games is not a big deal on the national team.”
After being recruited by the Chinese national team, Zhou reached the finals of both the balance beam and floor events at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2023. She secured the silver medal on the balance beam.
Determined to perform at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, Zhou participated in the Chinese National Artistic Championships in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, in April. Not only did she win the balance beam gold medal, but she also increased her routine’s difficulty score to 7.2—the most challenging balance beam routine in the world during the 2024 Olympiad—finishing with 15.466 points.
“Zhou is a typical Hunan girl who’s always demanding of herself,” her coach Wang Liming said. “She’s hungry for success. That’s a key part of her career.”
Few knew how much Zhou had to overcome to reach this point. Just a week before the National Games balance beam final, she was battling injuries and nearly considered retiring. Nevertheless, she persevered and won the title, securing her qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“I like my current form,” Zhou said. “I’m in good shape, and all I need is a bit of adjustment. I hope that I can maintain this mindset when I perform at the Olympic Games.”
Reference(s):
Quick rise of artistic gymnast Zhou Yaqin comes from solid work
cgtn.com
