Baotou athletes set new records at national competition

Participants from Baotou No 24 Middle School in the 2024 China National Middle School Championships. [Photo provided to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

Four young athletes from Baotou achieved outstanding results and broke multiple national records at the 2024 National Middle School Track and Field Championships.

Zhao Xusheng, captain of Baotou No 24 Middle School's track and field team, broke the national 800-meter record in the junior boys' division. However, he remained unsatisfied with his performance, "Though the result is good, I missed my goal by 0.15 seconds. I hope to improve even further in the future."

Zhao Xusheng wins the junior boys' 800-meter championship. [Photo provided to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

In contrast, his teammate, Xu Xinlu, who broke the junior girls' 400-meter hurdles record, found joy in personal growth during the competition. She expressed deep gratitude for her coach's scientific training methods and looked forward to competing again next year.

Their head coach, Liu Heping, has witnessed countless records being broken since founding the team in 2015. He emphasized that sports are not just about competition but also about life lessons - success is built step by step.

Wu Kunjie and Liang Yujie, two Baotou No 6 Middle School athletes, also performed remarkably. Wu expressed regret over an underwhelming performance due to weather conditions on race day. Meanwhile, Liang shared that her biggest takeaway from sports has been the perseverance and fighting spirit it instills.

Their head coach, Yan Shuai, stated that success is built on consistent hard work, not just talent. Through their actions, all of the athletes embodied the spirit of persistence and relentless pursuit of their dreams.

The cheers from the stands echoed as the young athletes showcased their speed and strength, demonstrating the power of youth.