Zhu Xueying's rise to prominence has been nothing short of breathtaking. The high-flying Chinese trampolinist snatched a gold medal in her debut Olympic appearance and followed it up with an individual title at her first-ever Asian Games. Her upward trajectory has shown no signs of slowing down.
In recent months, the 26-year-old has triumphed in both the Varna and Baku World Cup competitions, solidifying her standing among the very finest in the sport. However, the realm of elite sports operates on a razor's edge, where even the smallest margins can make a significant difference.
Just as the world anticipated Zhu's seemingly inevitable triumph in Cottbus, paving the way for an impressive three consecutive World Cup victories, fate took an unexpected twist. Standing in the way of her triumphant streak was none other than her teammate and roommate Hu Yicheng.
In a gripping women's final on Sunday, Zhu and Hu engaged in a fierce battle. There was no clear front-runner as both athletes fought tooth and nail for victory. Yet, it was Hu who displayed her mettle, executing her final routine flawlessly and surpassing Zhu by a slim margin of nearly half a point, securing the well-deserved title with 57.120 points to Zhu's 56.660.
Reference(s):
Trampoline World Cup success puts China in spotlight ahead of Paris
cgtn.com
