Jinan girl Cui Chenxi placed fifth in the skateboarding women's street final at the Olympic Qualifying Series in Shanghai on May 19, earning her 127,466 valuable points, boosting her world ranking to eighth and increasing her chances of qualifying for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.

"With more experience in major competitions, the pressure decreases," said the young skateboarder.

Cui, who started skateboarding at the age of 10, won the gold medal in the women's street skateboarding event during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province at the age of 13, becoming the youngest gold medalist in China's Asian Games history.

Cui started her skateboarding journey with her father, a respected skateboarding judge and coach of the Jinan skateboarding team, as her mentor.

Her father, as a professional coach, designed training plans focusing on both technical skills and physical fitness, helping her master complex tricks like the backside flip, kickflip, and heelflip. In addition, Cui spends time watching skateboarding videos to learn from top athletes.

Cui attributes her success partly to natural talent but emphasizes the importance of hard work. She said that she practices repeatedly no matter how many times she fails in order to land a trick. Since the Asian Games in Hangzhou, she has dedicated more time to improving her skills.

Over the past few months, Cui has traveled to Switzerland, Italy, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates to compete in Olympic qualifying events, earning points for her dream of competing in the Paris Olympic Games.

Cui Chenxi skateboards in a previous competition. [Photo/Qilu Yidian]