by sportswriter Li Jia
HANGZHOU, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) — For China’s Ye Shiwen, competing in opposition to her youthful counterparts on the Hangzhou Asiad is a frightening activity. Yet, profitable a gold medal is now not her main goal.
At 27, Ye outpaced South Korea’s Kim Seo-yeong, securing a silver within the girls’s 200m particular person medley on Monday night time. The gold was clinched by her 18-year-old teammate, Yu Yiting.
“Although I was a little bit slower than I expected, I am still very happy to take a silver here. The home crowd gave me encouragement,” she mentioned.
Ye, hailing from Hangzhou, burst onto the worldwide scene on the 2012 London Olympics the place she gained the ladies’s 400m particular person medley in a then-world-record time. Her closing lap within the occasion was even quicker than that of the lads’s champion, Ryan Lochte of the United States. She additionally secured the 200m title. However, her efficiency waned in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the place she candidly spoke of the “heavy mental pressure” she confronted.
“I was afraid of defeat at that time and I was troubled with my ankle injury,” mentioned Ye, referencing her Rio 2016 efficiency the place she positioned eighth within the 200m closing and did not qualify for the 400m closing.
She took a year-long break from swimming and commenced her tutorial journey at Tsinghua University, finding out regulation. Recognizing her deep-rooted ardour for swimming, Ye returned to the pool. She gained silver medals in each the 200m and 400m medley on the 2019 World Championships however did not qualify for the Tokyo Games.
With the Asian Games going down in her hometown, Hangzhou, Ye was motivated to return to aggressive swimming. She launched into her second comeback earlier this 12 months, however with a renewed mindset.
“I still have passion in medley and breaststroke,” mentioned Ye, who now incessantly sports activities a smile and seems extra relaxed. “I had to tell myself all the time ‘you are very strong’ in my first comeback, but this time I don’t need to do that.”
“Winning is not the most important thing for me anymore,” added Ye. “Now I enjoy myself in the pool and I like the atmosphere in the competition.”
No longer singularly targeted on victory, Ye exudes a way of calm and confidence.
“I have already found my problems, and I will make improvements in the winter training,” she mentioned.