From skateboard prodigy to China's youngest Olympian: Zheng's journey

Zheng Haohao in action during the women's skateboarding park preliminaries at the Olympic Qualifier Series in east China's Shanghai on May 16, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

China's youngest Olympian, 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao, is heading to Paris with a relaxed mindset.

GUANGZHOU, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Zheng Haohao has already made history before her Olympic debut in Paris. The 11-year-old skateboarder from Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, is the youngest Chinese athlete to compete at the Olympic Games.

She secured a spot in the women's park skateboarding event during the Olympic Qualification Series held in Shanghai and Budapest.

"That moment felt like a dream come true," Zheng said after sealing her place in the Budapest Olympic Qualifier Series.

Zheng's exceptional athletic ability was evident from an early age. According to her mother, Wang Zhe, Zheng preferred uneven surfaces where she could climb rocks and steps. Despite participating in various skill training programs, including music, chess, painting and dancing, skateboarding captured her heart when she was gifted a skateboard on her seventh birthday.

"Rollerskating used to be my favorite sport, but since I was introduced to skateboarding, it dropped to second place," Zheng explained.

Zheng in action in the Women's Bowl Final of Open Skateboarding Championships in China's Anhui Province on September 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

Initially practicing at the club run by Chen Wanqin, father of Asian Games champion Chen Ye, Zheng faced numerous falls and injuries during training. Despite the challenges, she persisted. Her talent caught the attention of the head coach of the Guangdong provincial team in 2021.

"She was very young but extremely focused on skateboarding. If she couldn't nail a trick, she would immediately identify the problem and quickly correct it," recalled Wei Naizhang, Zheng's former coach.

Zheng's rapid progress continued. At just nine years old, she represented Guangdong at the 2021 National Games, finishing 14th in the semifinals. In August 2022, she clinched the title in the women's park skateboarding event at the Guangdong Provincial Games.

In 2023, Zheng embarked on her international skateboarding journey, making her debut abroad in Argentina for the World Skateboarding Tour. Despite facing tight schedules and logistical hurdles, Zheng managed to arrive in Argentina just in time for her first Olympic qualifying event.

Zheng in action during the women's park preliminaries of skateboarding at the Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest, Hungary on June 20, 2024. (Xinhua/He Canling)

During the Budapest Olympic Qualifier Series last month, Zheng's performance was a rollercoaster. She excelled in the first round, scoring an impressive 63.49 points. However, a mistake in the second round left her with only 43.84 points. To secure a chance at Olympic qualification, she needed a minimum of 67.34 points in the final round.

At this critical juncture, Zheng took a daring risk by incorporating two challenging tricks into her final routine. Under immense pressure, she delivered an exceptional performance, earning a remarkable 72.6 points.

Zheng's positive mindset stands out as her greatest asset. During the Budapest event, while other competitors anxiously warmed up, Zheng was captivated by a promotional video on the big screen for two minutes. Wang Zhe shared her anxiety but refrained from transferring it to her.

Looking ahead to the Paris Games, Zheng says the Olympic competition will be the least stressful event for her.

"Participating in the Olympics means more people will get to know me. I started skateboarding just to make new friends and have fun," said Zheng.

Initially drawn to skateboarding for the joy of making new friends, Zheng now faces the occasional challenge of balancing training with leisure time.

"It's tough when my mom calls me to train while I'm playing. I'd say, 'Mom, let's skip training today,'" she candidly admitted. "But then I choose to train because I feel that practicing more will bring me closer to my skateboarding dream."