Olympic athletes enter the northeast corner of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau- watering the flowers of success with tears and persistence

On October 21, during the chilly days leading up to the frost descent, the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, situated in the northeastern corner of the Tibetan Plateau, was blanketed in light snow.

This afternoon, five Olympic athletes took part in the event “Olympians’ Journey in Qinghai: Shandong Athletes in Haibei,” where they shared their inspiring growth stories with students and teachers at Haomen Town High School (Lu Qing).

Lin Weining, the 2000 Sydney Olympic champion in women’s weightlifting (69kg category), recounted her challenging ten-year journey in weightlifting, stating, “From 12 to 22, it’s been a rocky road, but I take pride in my perseverance. It’s through my determination that I’ve achieved some unexpected successes.”

“Success comes hand in hand with pain and tears,” she added.

In Lin’s view, no success is simply handed out without effort. “I remember being turned away by professional coaches at the start. I couldn’t even get my foot in the door, and eventually found myself on the podium surrounded by flowers. I am especially grateful for my persistence,” she said.

After committing to weightlifting, she faced multiple rejections from sports schools due to her long forearms. “They all said I wasn’t cut out for weightlifting, but I was determined. I decided to train harder and let my results speak for themselves. Ultimately, through sheer effort, I blasted through to the 2000 Sydney Olympics,” Lin recalled.

Despite facing setbacks in competitions due to illness and low spirits, Lin emphasized the importance of adjustments. “When I got sick, I dug deep and persevered, finishing the competition with sheer grit. During tense situations, I learned to keep a balanced mindset, and over time, I became more emotionally stable during competitions,” she shared.

Lin views her struggles as essential in shaping her mentality and encouraged students to adopt an attitude of “Everyone has their own worth.” “When you face setbacks, it’s natural to feel disheartened, but don’t doubt yourself or give up easily. When you finally taste the sweetness after enduring hardship, you’ll thank your past self for the effort,” she told the students.

“I’ve also thought about giving up numerous times, but I refused to back down, which pushed me to keep going,” Lin advised the students. She urged them not to quit, highlighting that success might be just around the corner. “Hold on a little longer; you might just succeed,” she said.

The students were eager to engage with the athletes, including Liang Yushuang, who won a bronze medal in the men’s taekwondo 68kg category at the 2024 Paris Olympics. After taking photos with students, Liang encouraged them: “Keep striving and stay motivated.”

Haomen Town High School senior Han Fengqin was deeply moved by Lin’s story. “Now is the time to grit my teeth and study hard. With the encouragement from these Olympic athletes, I will persevere and aim to get into my dream university,” she stated.

Han also received a signed photo from the athletes during the interactive session, saying, “The spirit of hard training and perseverance in sports translates to life. I will remember the insights shared by my teachers and believe that I can succeed in my educational and life journey.”