Editor’s Note:
The Beijing Winter Olympics are set to kick off on February 4. Global Times has picked some of the biggest names to keep an eye on.
Su Yiming will not turn 18 until March by when the Chinese snowboarder could have made himself a household name at home and abroad with his exploits at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
The 17-year-old exploded into the sport’s consciousness last year, going viral in the snowboarding community when he landed a Cab (Caballerial) 1800 trick aged just 16 in January 2021.
Since then he has made more strides on the slopes – and history to boot.
Su became the first Chinese man to win a title at the FIS Big Air World Cup, doing so in Steamboat, Colorado back in December.
“It means a lot,” Su told the media in an interview soon after his win at the Big Air World Cup. “I did physical drills throughout last summer and made full preparation for it.”
Now he is headed back home with the chance to realize his dream.
“It has been my dream since my childhood to participate in the Olympic Games and strive for glories for my country,” Su said.
Childhood does not seem so long ago for Su, who took up skiing at the age of 4.
“When I first skied, it was just for fun. When I first rode on the snowboard, I didn’t know what sport it was. Then I began to fall in love with it, and improved my skills step by step.”
China’s Su Yiming takes a training run for the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle competition at the US Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain on January 5, 2022 in Mammoth, California. Photo: VCG
The former child film star is no stranger to the limelight but a medal for men’s snowboarding would be historic for him and the sport in China. He does not plan to stop with the Olympics though.
“I have different plans as for the post-Games, and I want to take part in more competitions and let our national anthem played around the world through my utmost effort,” Su said. His fans will settle for hearing the national anthem echoing out on the slopes of Zhangjiakou first.
Su has been part of Team China since he was 14, following his impressive performance in a 2016 Big Air competition. Now, less than four years on, Su is among the leading lights of the snow sports athletes. He might still love skiing but he has shown his passion for his sport and it shines through in his pioneering tricks on the slopes.
“The most important thing for my achievement so far is to stay true to my love for snowboard,” Su said last year. “Only when you love something, you will do your best to go for it. If you spare no effort, nothing is impossible.”
Not even a place on the podium at Beijing 2022.
