GUIYANG, China, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Just before the Paris Olympic women's marathon started on Sunday, a half marathon set off in Weining of southwest China's Guizhou Province with about 10,000 participants.
While enjoying the run, all the participants cheered for Weining marathon runner Xia Yuyu, who was competing at Paris 2024 on the same day.
Emerging from the mountains of Guizhou, 26-year-old Xia has worked hard to achieve successes, including winning the women's 10,000 meters at the National Track and Field Championships as well as the Chengdu Universiade.
For Xia, marathon is not simply a sport or competition, but a reflection of her growth. Before competing in the Olympic women's marathon, she wrote on social media, "Overcoming oneself is a form of success."
Thousands of miles away, Xia stood on the court of Women's Marathon at the Paris Olympics, competing against the top athletes worldwide. This was her debut at the Olympic field, and she finished in 2 hours, 42 minutes and 10 seconds, ranking 72nd.
While Xia Yuyu was racing, her mother, younger brother, and the villagers gathered together at home in Mozhan Village, Yancang Town, Weining County. Holding national flags in their hands, they witnessed her "Olympic moment" through the screen.
Seeing that Xia Yuyu completed the race, her mother, Gao Huihui, was very excited. Xia's enlightenment coach, Zhu Mingquan, was very pleased with her performance. "It's already impressive that she stood on the Olympic stage and competed alongside so many world-class athletes."
During the 2024 Weining Half Marathon, participants felt the unique charm of the "City of Sunshine" in the Wumeng Mountain Area. Many runners sent words and blessings to Xia through the camera one after another.
As Xia Yuyu's good friend, Zhang Ting held up a sign with the sentence "Xia Yuyu, come on" on it, cheering for her through the camera. "Keep going, Yuyu. No matter what the result is, you are already the best by standing on the court of Paris Olympics."
After the Olympic marathon, Xia said in Paris that she completed the competition and that although the result was not ideal, she plans to focus on her doctoral studies and strive to qualify for the next Olympics. ■
