Female athlete from China’s Xinjiang competes in Winter Olympics for second time

Tian Ruining in a competition. (Photo provided by an amateur sports school in Karamay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region)

Tian Ruining, a female athlete from Karamay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, locked down the 14th place at the speed skating women’s 500m of the Beijing Winter Olympics held on the evening of Feb. 13. This is the second time that the 25-year-old athlete has competed in the Winter Olympics, following the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Tian first became fond of sports when she was very young and got her first pair of roller skates at the age of 8. Later, she started to ice skate and gradually sharpened her skills, using her previous experience in roller skating. “When I skate, I feel like I’m flying,” she said.

Driven by a passion for skating, Tian has carried out arduous training. “Tian couldn’t have made her achievements so far without years of effort. She is hardworking and tenacious, which is why she constantly outdoes herself,” noted Ma Chao, one of Tian’s earliest coaches and a speed skating coach at an amateur sports school in Karamay where Tian studied skating.

In 2010 and 2014, Tian participated in the 12th and 13th Games of Xinjiang on behalf of Karamay, in which she won the first place in four individual items of her group and clinched the all-round championship.

Later in 2016, she was admitted into the national team, and then won silver and bronze at the 13th National Winter Games of China held that year.

“I hope I can deliver my best possible performance at Beijing 2022,” she said, adding that she hoped to make use of the opportunity brought about by the Beijing Winter Olympics to vigorously promote winter sports together with all sports enthusiasts and get more people involved in winter sports.

Speaking of her performance at the speed skating women’s 500m, Tian said that she will watch the video later to find out her disadvantages so as to continuously improve herself and strive for better results at the next Winter Olympics.