Too high-profile on the field? Wu Yanni responds to questioning Liu Xiang | woman | Wu Yanni

In the women's 100m hurdles final of the 31st Summer Universiade in Chengdu, Wu Yanni won the silver medal with a time of 12.76 seconds. This achievement not only refreshed her personal best, but also allowed her to meet the competition standards for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Wu Yanni's signature gesture of "pointing the sky with her index finger" has also attracted attention, with some netizens questioning her for being too high-profile on the field.

Before the women's 100m hurdles final at the Chengdu Universiade began, Wu Yanni pointed to the sky. Reporter Qu Junyan from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network/Photo taken

Recently, in an interview, Wu Yanni responded, "What am I doing low-key on the field? I'm going to fight.". Regarding the online comments about her signature actions being "exaggerated" or "too high-profile," she said that she did feel a bit uncomfortable after listening to them, but she still didn't pay too much attention. She said that in fact, the action of twisting the shoulders is simply to relax the body and regulate the competitive state; The signature action of pointing your index finger to the sky is to commemorate your deceased grandfather and cheer yourself on.

She said that as an athlete, in addition to professional skills, confidence and not being afraid of the stage are also advantages. As long as you can relax on the field, showcase your true strength, and achieve good results, that's right; It doesn't matter what others think or say. "You asked me to do it under the track, but I really can't do it."

After the women's 100m hurdles final at the Chengdu Universiade, Wu Yanni dressed in a national flag walked around to thank the audience. Reporter Qu Junyan from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network/Photo taken

Wu Yanni: Every young person is a hero in their own story

"When I was a child, my idol and goal was Teacher Yang Liping." Wu Yanni learned to dance from a young age, but due to her height, she was more suitable for solo dancing. "In athletics, peacock dance is my main sport.". But she was born into a military family, and her grandfather always believed that girls should not be weak. Therefore, under the influence of her grandfather, Wu Yanni began to get involved in athletics and answered three questions happily before officially becoming a hurdler in 2012.

"Do you like hurdles?" "I like it" "Do you know that we are part of Liu Xiang's project?" "I know" "Do you want to come to Beijing?" "Sure.". With a good personality, no stage fright, and a graceful demeanor, Wu Yanni's "sash" has long impressed coach Yang Hui. Despite being labeled as "playful" or "unable to achieve results" in the team, Yang Hui still firmly believes that "she can definitely practice".

When mischievous Wu Yanni occasionally found excuses to delay training, her grandfather passed away. Overnight, Wu Yanni was like a different person. Her training no longer required coach supervision, and every move was filled with "self-discipline". In just one winter training time, she went from being a second level athlete to a top athlete, and her performance improved from 14.4 seconds to 13.6 seconds. She can now stand out in national competitions.

In the 2021 National Games, Wu Yanni has high expectations for winning the championship. But at that time, her tense and excited state made her ignore the fatigue of her body. With half a month left until the competition, she accidentally injured herself during training. At the moment when her ankle pricked, it was like a needle piercing a bulging balloon, "puncturing a hole, leaking air, and my 200% confidence instantly dropped to 80%.". She cheered herself in her heart, "Wu Yanni, you can definitely do it. If you really can't beat her, you'll have to keep biting her.".

In the final, Wu Yanni closely followed Lin Yuwei, "biting" from the first hurdle to the last hurdle, and by the time she sprinted, her strength had completely exhausted and she almost fell. After the game, the coach told her, "The second place is already very good. I brought so many athletes, and you are the first one to make me cry on the field."

But this defeat, Wu Yanni never wanted to face it. Until more than a year later, she watched a video of foreign athletes breaking records and accidentally popped up the game she was participating in for the National Games. "I watched it completely twice, and then cried and called my mother," she remembers her mother saying, "I'm very pleased that you can finally accept your failure."

"The charm of competitive sports lies in its cruelty and excitement coexisting, and the king is not eternal." Whether on campus or on the field, the more Wu Yanni has experienced it, the more she understands that "the efforts of second and third place should not be denied" and "constantly getting to know new oneself, having the courage to be disliked by others, can make herself a person who can truly stand on the field.".

After the women's 100m hurdles final at the Chengdu Universiade, Wu Yanni attended the award ceremony. Reporter Qu Junyan from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network/Photo taken

The Chengdu Universiade is Wu Yanni's third world competition, and she is eager to showcase the charm of Chinese university athletes to the world at her doorstep. "The brilliant performances of one generation of young people can influence the next generation of young people.". She mentioned Liu Xiang, who once won the championship as a representative of the Chinese athletics team at the Universiade. "Liu Xiang emerged victorious in 2004 and won the championship at the Athens Olympics, elevating Chinese athletics to an unprecedented level. His victories have brought us, the athletes of this generation, and the young Chinese of this generation, too much motivation."

Wu Yanni hopes to attract more people's attention to the women's 100 meter hurdles like Liu Xiang, but she does not want to be called "Female Liu Xiang". "Liu Xiang is Liu Xiang, and his halo should not be pinned on anyone's head. I am also unique, because every young person is a hero in their own story.".

Comprehensive: Red Star News, China Youth Daily client