CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- On August 10, Beijing time, in the team all-around final of the artistic gymnastics at Paris Olympics, Chinese team won the gold medal with a total score of 69.800, which was the first time for China artistic gymnastics team to win the championship of the Olympics, and the 35th gold medal won by Chinese delegation in the Paris Olympics. Ding Xinyi from Chongqing and her teammates Guo Qiqi, Hao Ting, Huang Zhangjiayang and Wang Lanjing won the gold medal together so that Chongqing locals felt rejoiced and proud.

Born and grew up in Chongqing

She’s been trained in Shapingba since she was in primary school

Ding Xinyi, who came from Chongqing, danced on the international stage, showing the romance of Chinese people and the full vitality of Chongqing girls.

What’s behind her glamorous life is the persistence, iron will and unyielding soul in face of countless ups and downs. On the field, Ding Xinyi’s every jump and rotation declared that Chongqing girls have the perseverance, excellence and spirit of a climber.

The 19-year-aged Ding Xinyi was originally a member of Chongqing Municipal Artistic Gymnastics Outstanding Sports Team, and has been trained in Shapingba District since she was in primary school, and jointly trained by Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Sports and Shapingba District. In February 2022, Ding Xinyi was selected to be a member of the national team.

She has won 9 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 5 bronze medals in the World Cup, Asian Championships and World Championships, totaling 19 medals since she started competing with the team. In July last year, she was admitted to Beijing Sport University.

Depicting toughness

She experienced the process from “glass heart” to “iron heart”

Ding Xinyi is known for her agility and delicacy. Her movements show both the beauty of strength and the charm of softness. She became famous at a young age and is the “next-door kid” in the eyes of many people, but she also experienced the process from “glass heart” to “iron heart”: Artistic gymnastics has not only toned her body, but also sharpened her will.

Ding Xinyi’s father said that Ding Xinyi was a little timid, especially when she was firstly selected to be a member of the national team, she had a weak psychological tolerance, and even almost be “returned”.

Ding Xinyi’s father often looks the videos of his daughter in competitions because they record her “growth”, and he said that “in the road of artistic gymnastics, she has found her own light. Seeing the confidence in her eyes, I know that she is no longer the timid girl”.

Carrying the mission

She showed the world the beauty of China and Chongqing

Artistic gymnastics, as a sport event integrating music, dance, light apparatus and other elements, also known as the “ballet on carpet”, has a high degree of spectacle and competitiveness, and became an official competition at Los Angeles Olympics 1984, and then introduced the team competition at Atlanta Olympics 1996. For a long time, Eastern European countries monopolized the podium of artistic gymnastics.

In 2008, at Beijing Olympics, Chinese team won the team all-around silver medal, which is the first Olympic medal for Chinese artistic gymnastics, and the first time for the countries rather than European countries to win a medal. But this time, Chinese team won the gold medal at Paris Olympics, creating history!

For Ding Xinyi, who carries the mission of China’s artistic gymnastics and comes from Chongqing, it is important to let more people see the beauty of China and Chongqing blossoming in this competition. Artistic gymnastics is her relentless pursuit, but also her stage to show the world the beauty of China. Ding Xinyi continues breaking through herself, going abroad from Chongqing, and shinning on the international stages.

Looking forward to her returning

Her father’s going to cook her a feast

“It’s her 20th birthday in a couple days. In these days, every day I think about making a feast in person for her when she come back...” her father said. “Making a feast in person” is his most simple support for his daughter. Over the past 15 years, no matter she met ups or downs, her parents have always given her gentle encouragement and have always been ready to support her. “This is her choice. We cannot suffer for our daughter, but we want to build a strong backbone for her so that she knows that her family will always support her”.

As a teammate of Ding Xinyi, the 26-year-old Guo Qiqi is also a Chongqing local. She received initiation training on artistic gymnastics in Shapingba District from 2004 to 2007, and then she was selected to be a member of the national team. Her mother said: “Skyscrapers rise from the ground. The past three years play an important role in her artistic gymnastics. Without such three years, she could not have such a good development”. (Translated by Vichy, Fathom Language Limited)