Xu Mengtao [VCG]

Xu Mengtao, 31, has competed in three Winter Olympic Games — the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. She won the silver medal, in the women's freestyle skiing aerial, during the 2014 Sochi Games.

She was freestyle skiing aerial champion of the 2013 FIS (International Ski Federation) Freestyle World Ski Championships, in Oslo, capital of Norway, and winner of six individual World Championship medals. She has been the FIS Freestyle Aerials World Cup overall champion of five competition seasons (2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2016-2017, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019).

Xu, a native of Anshan, in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, began practicing gymnastics at 5. She switched to freestyle aerial skiing when she was 12. In 2007, she became China's first junior world champion in freestyle skiing, and she joined the national freestyle aerial skiing team.

As a veteran of the national team, she takes each practice seriously. "I practice and train hard every day. I applaud myself if I train well, and I encourage myself if I am not doing good during training. I like the feeling of challenging myself," she says.

The national team has not competed internationally for about 19 months, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which means the athletes have been training continuously for nearly two years. Xu says her biggest wish is to take part in international competitions. "I enjoy competing against each other during the games," she says.

During the past 10 years, Xu has undergone four major surgeries, with the latest in March 2018, right after the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. However, she has never thought of retiring from competition.

She is looking forward to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, which will be her fourth Winter Olympic journey. She says she will fight to achieve her dream of winning Olympic gold. "I have claimed many medals and titles in various games, but I have never obtained an Olympic gold medal in women's freestyle skiing aerial. I hope I can make a breakthrough, and stand on top of the podium, at the Beijing Winter Olympics," she says.

(Women of China English Monthly October 2021 issue)