Chinese fencer Sun Yiwen is setting her sights on the 2024 Olympic Games with a determination to leave no regrets. Her journey has been marked by significant challenges and impressive comebacks.
Sun experienced one of her toughest moments in 2021 during the Tokyo Olympic Games, where China faced defeats against South Korea and Italy in the women's team epee semifinals and the bronze-medal bout. An injury sustained against South Korea further compounded her struggles, keeping her sidelined for an extended period.
In the aftermath, Sun took a break to recover following the Chinese National Games in September 2021 in Shaanxi Province. Her return to international competition wasn't until November 2022, and it took several months for her to regain her competitive form.
\"I took a vocation and then started over,\" Sun shared with China Media Group (CMG). \"I rebuilt my skills and rethought my performance. I think it opened my mind.\" Her perseverance paid off in July 2023 when she secured the women's individual epee bronze medal at the World Championships in Milan, Italy.
Despite Sun's personal successes, the Chinese women's epee team faced ongoing struggles. They were defeated by Hong Kong in the semifinals at the Asian Championships in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, in June 2023 and finished 12th at the World Championships the following month, putting their Olympic qualification for Paris at risk.
However, the team made a remarkable comeback at the FIE Women's Epee World Cup in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, in March. They triumphed over Hong Kong in the Round of 16 and defeated the world No. 1 South Korea in the quarterfinals, ultimately earning the silver medal and securing their spot in the 2024 Olympic Games.
\"When we finished that bout, I felt like the pressure on my shoulders was gone by half,\" Sun remarked. \"I was like 'man, this is harder than the Olympics.'\"
With an impressive tally of one gold (individual), one silver (team), and one bronze (individual) medal, Sun is more motivated than ever to compete for additional honors in Paris. \"I already won the Olympic title, so now I just want to leave no regret as a fencer,\" she told CMG. \"If I'm given the chance, I want to try every possibility.\"
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Chinese fencer Sun Yiwen wants to leave no regret at 2024 Olympics
cgtn.com
