Chinese foil fencer Chen Qingyuan is setting her sights on Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Summer Games. Leading China's women's foil squad, Chen is determined to make her mark in her second Olympic appearance.
Chen, a native of Fujian Province, began fencing in fourth grade and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2018, she contributed to China's silver medal in the women's team foil at the Asian Games in Jakarta. The following year, she secured a bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championships in Japan.
Her performance at the Fencing Grand Prix in Qatar, where she won silver, earned her a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Although she finished 11th in the individual women's foil at the Games, Chen's journey was far from over.
The path to Paris hasn't been smooth for the 27-year-old athlete. In 2022 and 2023, Chen faced a series of defeats, including a first-round exit at the Shanghai Grand Prix in May last year. These setbacks took a toll on her confidence, leaving her at a low point in her career.
However, Chen's resilience shone through when she bounced back to claim her first-ever World Cup gold medal in January. \"I was so shocked at that time. I could not believe it. I thought about winning a world title, and I thought that maybe one day I would become a world champion, but I did not know when it might happen, so that was definitely a surprise for me, and it greatly boosted my confidence,\" Chen shared.
Now, as she prepares for her second Olympic journey, Chen views the Olympic stage as a sacred arena. \"I think the Olympic stage is almost like a sacred place for me, and even though I exited early in my last Olympic appearance, I spent a lot of time watching other athletes. All of them gave their best performances. They were all in, but there was only one winner, and I hope I will be the winner this time in Paris,\" she concluded.
With renewed determination and a proven track record of overcoming challenges, Chen Qingyuan is poised to make a significant impact at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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Chinese foil fencer Chen Qingyuan eyes gold at 2024 Paris Olympics
cgtn.com