I’ve just started my journey, says China’s Wang Yan as the youngster finishes out of the medals in the women’s vault
The gymnast, the youngest athlete in the vault finals at the age of 16, lost but is honoured to have made it so far at the Rio Olympics
Chinese gymnast Wang Yan, the youngest athlete in the vault finals at the age of 16, lost but was honoured to make it so far at the Rio Olympics.
Wang struck up a bright smile on her face after the game on the ninth day of the Olympics after finishing at the fifth place – the kind of smile a girl of her age should have.
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While other 16-year-old girls in China and the rest of the world were still happily going to school and playing hide-and-seek in playgrounds, Wang was already competing with the best gymnastics in the world at the Olympics.
Asked if she has ever thought about giving up gymnastics and going to school like other children do, the answer was simply “no”.
“No. I have already started my journey in gymnastics and I will definitely keep going and keep training. I am not going to think about school. Perhaps I will think about that when I retire,” Wang said.
“I felt quite good today. Everyone here are the best gymnasts in the world. I can’t compete with them. I am not as strong as they are.”
The humble athlete said she has never thought about winning in this event.