Eight-year-old Beijing skater touches Chinese hearts after falling, recovering and winning short track speed race
- A video of Ma Zihui’s victory in an age-group 500m quarter-final race has been viewed by more than 5 million people in China
- Ma fell soon after the start, but got back up and reeled in her rivals one by one – ‘When I’m tired, I can grit my teeth and stick to it,’ she says
An eight-year-old speed skater in China has warmed the hearts of millions of her compatriots after she stumbled at the start of a race but managed to recover and reel in her rivals one by one to emerge the winner.
Ma Zihui was taking part in a youth race in Beijing at an ice hockey club. Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics in 2022, and after her performance went viral, Ma said she wanted to continue skating and one day become an Olympic champion.
Ma was competing in a race for the youngest age group of a training squad comprising around 50 children from eight to 14 years old. She was taking part in the first leg of the 500m short-track speed skating quarter-finals.
Almost immediately after the start, Ma took a tumble. Undeterred, she got right back up and showed excellent technique to catch up with her rivals and eventually win the race.
Ma was quoted as saying she was tired before the race but was determined to win. “When I’m tired, I can grit my teeth and stick to it. This is the path I chose. As long as it is something I like, I have to stick to it,” Ma was reported to have said.