Li Bingjie of China competes in the women's 800m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, July 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Having swept eight golds at the Chengdu Universiade, Olympic champion Li Bingjie is aiming high at Katie Ledecky and the Paris Olympics.
CHENGDU, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- After securing the silver in the women's 800m freestyle at the Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships, 21-year-old Li Bingjie of China wasted no time and swiftly took part in the FISU World University Games here in Chengdu, where she went on to collect an impressive eight gold medals.
Li felt fatigued, particularly on the last day of the Games, as she had to swim the fourth leg in the women's 4x100 medley relay just 20 minutes after winning the women's 400m freestyle. Despite this, China managed to secure victory in the event.
"I could sense that I wasn't in the best condition these days due to exhaustion, but it's okay," Li stated after finishing first in the women's 1,500m freestyle a few days ago.
Li Bingjie's father (1st L) poses for photo with Hebei Province teammates.
Coming from a family of swimming athletes, Li displayed her talent early on, securing a bronze in the 400m freestyle and a silver in the 800m at the 2017 Budapest World Aquatics Championships when she was just 15 years old.
However, since 2019, the talented swimmer experienced ups and downs. Her personal records declined, and she suffered injuries during intense training sessions.
"When I listened to music on the bus and passed by the swimming gym in Budapest, where my dream began, I realized that I had never forgotten it," Li recalled.
With the support of her family, friends, and coach, Li dedicated herself to rigorous training. She swam 20,000m every day, ran in the snow with tears, and had to eat her meals in the swimming pool due to time constraints. All of these changes had a profound impact on her.
Yang Junxuan (L, front) of China helps her teammate Li Bingjie (R, front) to put on the gold medal after winning the women's 4x200m freestyle relay final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, July 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
At the Tokyo Olympics, Li's dream came true when she won a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay with her teammates including Zhang Yufei. "I have been back to my peak since that moment. All of your efforts will be rewarded one day," said Li.
Watching Li's 800m freestyle at the World Championships, one can observe that she maintained a steady pace during the first half, regardless of how fast her rivals were.
"I won't let anyone or anything influence me now, and that's the lesson I learned from my failures. Staying true to my own pace is the best way to win the competition."
Although American star Kathleen Ledecky dominated the event and won the gold, Li was confident, saying "I was trying my best to narrow the distance between us, but her presence didn't disrupt my own pace."
Li Bingjie (R) of China greets Katie Ledecky of the United States after the women's 800m freestyle final. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Compared to the outgoing Zhang Yufei, Li can be considered an introverted person. She has developed various hobbies, such as playing the piano and singing with a guitar, to alleviate stress.
"My goal is clear - to narrow the gap with Ledecky as much as possible and break my personal best at Paris 2024," Li emphasized. ■
