SANYA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- In the women's high jump at the 6th Asian Beach Games on Sunday, China's Shao Yuqi and Hu Linpeng shared silver with a clearance of 1.83 meters and used the occasion to ask fans to look beyond their appearance.
Shao, champion at China's 15th National Games, and Hu both have large followings on Chinese social media platform Douyin. They say the attention is welcome, but can also be a double-edged sword.
"Having so many followers is good for Chinese athletics, and I'm happy about that," Shao said. "But when people focus only on our faces and our figures, I really hope they can also see our fighting spirit. We give everything to stand on the podium, even if sometimes things don't go our way."
Hu echoed the sentiment, saying that posting on social media is simply part of modern life for athletes and a way to relax. "It's a normal way to reduce pressure and enjoy our spare time. It doesn't affect our performance - we know what our main job is," she said.
Competing on sand was a new challenge. Hu said she began adapting to the beach venue on April 22 by watching other events and taking advice from teammates.
"It was a strange environment, but when I stepped onto the runway I tried to focus only on each jump," she said. "Even though we didn't win the title, I'm proud that we Chinese women tied for silver."
Hu, 31, admitted she was disappointed to miss out on the Chinese delegation for the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, but said the silver medal in Sanya has restored her confidence.
Looking ahead to the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya later this year, she added: "If I get the chance to compete at the next Asian Games, I believe I can deliver a better performance." ■
