Sports: Rhythmic Gymnastics

Sneaker brands: Nike, ELLE, Li Ning

Shoe size: 38

Favorite colors: blue, white, green

Favorite animals: dogs

Favorite fruits: mango, grapes

Favorite city: Sydney

Favorite movie star: Jackie Chan

The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold

Although Zhou Xiaojing was not good at speaking when she was a child, she had the sign of Leo Lively and active nature. She left her hometown before she was ten years old and went to Hangzhou to receive professional training. Since then, she has been closely associated with rhythmic gymnastics.

Only by enduring hardship can one become a master. This was the only sentence written by Xiaojing's father who never wrote letters when she won the first championship in her life in the Group B competition of the National Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in 1990. From then on, this sentence became her motto.

The Osaka Asian Games in September 1994 against the Japanese team was Xiaojing’s most satisfying game. It was the golden season of her sports career, but this time it was called a flawless performance. Not hearing the majestic Chinese national anthem, the only consolation is that it moved everyone except the referee.

Zhou Xiaojing retired in 1997 and left her beloved green carpet, but her heart still remained on the court. At the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, she came back. In what she called "one of the toughest games", Xiaojing finally defeated the Japanese team and won two gold medals by herself. Only then did she truly understand It means "the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold".

"Jing" means essence, describing the lushest part of the grass. Zhou Xiaojing likes her name. "It contains my parents' good intentions for me and their deep expectations for me," she said affectionately. "They are also my favorite people." The person who also loves me the most is her coach, In Zhou Xiaojing's gymnastics world, she is far away from her parents and brothers, searching for her dreams in a strange city. In the days when she is lonely and takes pleasure in suffering, her coach is the person she has the most contact with, and he has helped her get out of trouble countless times. The person who is being helped up. “Every time I step on the podium, I hope to see my relatives and friends who have given me great help. I hope they can see my progress and efforts, and share my success and glory together.

"After retiring, stopping training, and coming back, Xiaojing finally realized her Asian Games dream at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games! At this time, she couldn't help but hugged her coach Xia Yanfei tightly, and tears of excitement also flowed down. A rhythmic gymnastics fan captured this photo from the TV screen. After seeing the photo, Zhou Xiaojing said, "It's not clear, but it records a moment that I will never forget...".

Favorite city

In my favorite city - Sydney, in the most grand sports event of this century - the Olympic Games, facing the arena where the best athletes in rhythmic gymnastics gather today , Zhou Xiaojing felt very calm at this time, "I know that many people like to watch rhythmic gymnastics competitions, it is indeed a beautiful enjoyment," she said, "But for an athlete, it is necessary to be recognized by the audience. It can be achieved after countless setbacks and hard work.”

After experiencing the ups and downs of life and the tempering of competitions, Xiaojing appears to have matured a lot. "I have won countless gold medals, and these gold medals also reflect my twists and turns." When evaluating her own athlete career of more than 20 years, Xiaojing's eyes revealed her appreciation for the sweat and hard work she put in. A kind of self-confidence and tenacity in the struggle of life. There is no smooth road to Sydney. In order to win the moment when the plum blossoms bloom, Zhou Xiaojing is training hard.

Olympic Torchbearer

Torchbearer Zhou Xiaojing: Life is a process of pursuing "beauty".

When Zhou Xiaojing, the single and team double champion of artistic gymnastics at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, appeared at the torch relay in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, holding the torch, she was filled with aura of grace and beauty, as if even the air was full of beauty. It exudes a strong beauty that cannot be diluted. "When I was an athlete, I looked forward to the Olympic Games being held in my motherland. I would like to thank the people in my hometown for giving me the honor of being the Olympic torchbearer in Wenzhou." In the past competitions, Zhou Xiaojing's charm in her movements and her understanding of music gave her The most beautiful interpretation of gymnastics, a very artistic sport. As an athlete from Zhejiang, the artistic conception of "Jiangnan is infinitely beautiful" is often outlined in her body language as she runs, jumps, waves and flings.

Now, she has retired and become a teacher at Tsinghua University. In teaching, Zhou Xiaojing works hard to tap inspiration and strives to vividly express the connotation of Chinese culture through physical fitness and rhythmic gymnastics. In 2002, she was named the most popular teacher at Tsinghua University, and the courses she taught became a popular choice among Tsinghua students. Every step Zhou Xiaojing takes in life is a process of pursuing beauty.

At the Wenzhou Torchbearers donation event for the disaster area, Zhou Xiaojing donated 10,000 yuan in cash. "Although this amount of money is insignificant compared to the relief funds needed in the disaster area, it is a quarter of my annual income." She said that personal power is limited, and she hopes that through the torchbearers' initiative, there will be more Many people are involved in earthquake relief activities.