The 21-year-old from the mountainous region of Liangshan in southwest China's Sichuan province is on the brink of glory.
There is no easy journey
Jan's introduction to the world of surfing was inspired by an innate love of adventure.
At the age of nine, looking for a new sport, she turned to her uncle, a wrestling coach, for advice.
Expecting to be guided by Taekwondo, a sport she had expressed an interest in, she was surprised when he introduced her to sailing.
An unexpected piece of advice led the then nine-year-old to encounter the sea for the first time in Haikou, a port city in southern China and the capital of China's island province of Hainan.
This encounter created a deep connection and set the stage for her future in surfing.
“It's not because I come from a rural area and need sports as a means to do so, but because I love sports and my parents respect and support my choices,” Yang told China Youth Daily. Told.
Her early years on the sailing team were difficult. She could not swim and she experienced many capsizes. But that challenge only served as a catalyst for her to overcome her fears.
A turning point for Yang came in 2018, when China established a national surfing team following the announcement that surfing would become an Olympic sport in 2016.
She seized the day and embarked on a new journey, transitioning from sailing to surfing.
“At that time, I didn't know what surfing was, I had no concept of the sport, and I'd never seen anyone surfing before. The first time I saw someone surfing was at the Seaside Club. , I thought that was pretty cool,” Yang said.
overcome hurdles
He made his international debut at the World Junior Surfing Championships in 2019, and showed remarkable growth at the 2022 World Surfing Games (WSG).
A year later, Yan participated in the 2023 WSG, reaching the fifth round of the repechage and securing 31st place out of over 130 female competitors.
Her coach, Luo Yan, praised her hard work, confidence, self-discipline, maturity and clarity in goal setting.
This young surfer's outstanding fitness level and courage further distinguish her as an outstanding competitor.
“She has excellent physical fitness and outstanding strength, and is one of the brave girls who is not afraid of challenges,” Coach Luo said.
“Surfing is an extreme sport, and judges in this sport tend to favor aggressive athletes who take on challenges. Yang Shiqi is well suited for surfing,” he added.
Her training regime is extensive and extremely rigorous, consisting of four daily sessions covering water-based routines, strength building and tactical analysis with video reviews.
last feat
Ahead of the 2024 World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico, Yang trained to hold her breath for a full three minutes to prepare for the challenges posed by large waves and the potential danger of being submerged for extended periods of time.
Her consistent performance earned her a historic Olympic berth, winning her heat with a score of 11.83 and defeating British surfskating phenomenon Skye Brown and 2021 Olympian Brisa Hennessy of Costa Rica.
Her accomplishment was the culmination of six years of dedicated work, but it was just the beginning of her journey.
“I love surfing, especially because it's exciting. I'm very happy when I can ride a good wave. The sea is like my good friend because it gives me a lot of good waves,” Yang told Xinhuanet.
