17-year-old Hangzhou athlete clinches gold in ski jumping

Young Hangzhou talent Weng Yangning secured gold in the women's youth individual standard hill ski jumping event with a score of 160.7 points at the 14th National Winter Games on Jan 31.

The victory marked Zhejiang's first gold medal at the Winter Games and a breakthrough for the province in the ski jumping category.

"I had confidence that I could win before competition. During regular training, I often observe other athletes' performances and realized my own strength, which made me look forward to the competition even more," said Weng after the race.

Hailing from Hangzhou's nearby sibling, Ningbo, Weng initially trained in Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) during her second year of primary school in her hometown. Later, she was scouted by the Hangzhou Chen Jinglun Sports School and switched to boxing. In 2019, she joined the Zhejiang ski jumping team. Last year, in her first national championship, she claimed victories in both the women's individual standard hill and mixed team events.

"Weng is exceptionally hardworking. As an athlete who transitioned from another discipline, she has put in more effort than others," admitted Li Yishen, the leader of Zhejiang's ski jumping team.