In the gymnastics world, Cheng Fei's name shines like a legend.
Her story was once the pride of countless Chinese: a girl who came out of a small town and achieved brilliant achievements on the world gymnastics stage with extraordinary talent and perseverance.
However, the "Queen of Gymnastics" chose to retire after reaching the peak of her career at the age of 25.
After retiring, Cheng Fei is no longer the athlete who sweats in the gymnasium day after day.
The once strict training and diet control were no longer a part of her life, and the effects of drugs in the treatment of injuries and illnesses had quietly changed her body shape.
The girl who once flipped and leaped on the vault and balance beam now looks more plump.
But can such a change really determine a person's totality?
Cheng Fei: From the gold medal in gymnastics to the springboard of life
In 2015, the World Gymnastics Championships were in full swing in Melbourne.
On the field, Cheng Fei from China wore the national team's iconic red competition uniform, her face focused and calm, and she was engrossed in preparing for the upcoming vaulting competition.
In the audience, the eyes of the audience were focused on the Chinese athlete, and her every move touched the hearts of everyone present.
In front of the vaulting platform, Cheng Fei took a deep breath, she ran steadily and quickly along the runway, and every step was calm and powerful.
As she got closer to the vault, so did her speed.
The audience held their breath and watched her every move.
When she arrived at the vaulting platform, her hands were firmly pressed on the horse's back, and the whole person flipped in the air, completing the shocking action: "Kick the back hand flip body 180 degrees and then turn the front straight flip 540 degrees".
The whole movement was smooth and powerful, Cheng Fei seemed to have nothing to do with gravity in the air, her body rotated and flipped in the air, and finally landed firmly on the mat.
Her landing was almost silent, showing her exceptional control and precision.
At this moment, the entire stadium fell into a brief silence, followed by thunderous applause and cheers.
Cheng Fei walked back to the team calmly, her face did not change much, but her eyes revealed a trace of confidence and satisfaction.
Her coach and teammates greeted her, hugging her and congratulating her.
Cheng Fei just smiled slightly and nodded, but there was an unconcealable light in her eyes.
This jump is not only a high point in her career, but also an important milestone in the history of Chinese gymnastics.
After deliberation, the judges gave a high score.
When her score flashed on the display, the audience erupted in even louder applause.
The players of the Chinese team cheered, and they knew that Cheng Fei had won honor not only for herself, but also for her country.
Cheng Fei stood on the field, looking at the audience cheering for her, her heart was full of gratitude and pride.
This movement, which was later officially named "Cheng Fei Jump" by the International Gymnastics Federation, has become an iconic technique in the gymnastics world.
It not only shows Cheng Fei's extraordinary talent, but also reflects the strong strength and influence of Chinese gymnastics on the world stage.
Climb to the top: the glory of winning consecutive championships
Since 2005, Cheng Fei's gymnastics career has entered a new stage.
In the following years, with her extraordinary strength and firm determination, she won three World Cup gold medals and three World Championships gold medals on the world gymnastics stage, becoming the undisputed leader of the Chinese national team.
During this period of time, Cheng Fei's training schedule was extremely heavy.
Every day, she conducts long hours of physical training, technique exercises, and tactical analysis under the guidance of her coach.
On the training ground, she always gives her all and strives for perfection in every move.
In vaulting, balance beam, floor exercise and other events, Cheng Fei showed her excellent skills and strong psychological quality.
After each perfect landing, she always quickly adjusts her form and prepares for the next move.
During the competition, Cheng Fei's focus and determination were equally impressive.
In the World Cup and World Championships, she has always shown amazing competitive form when it mattered.
As she stood on the podium again and again to receive the gold medal she deserved, her name gradually became a legend in the gymnastics world.
However, Cheng Fei's ambitions are not limited to the glory of the World Cup and World Championships.
Her eyes are firmly locked on the stage that every athlete dreams of - the Olympic Games.
She is eager to show what she can do on the bigger stage of the Olympics, and she knows that only an Olympic gold medal can represent the highest honor in gymnastics.
In order to prepare for the Olympics, Cheng Fei trained harder.
On the training ground, she constantly challenges herself and pushes her limits.
In vault training, she constantly optimizes her "Cheng Fei jump" and strives to present the most perfect state in the Olympic Games.
In balance beam and floor exercise, she is also constantly improving her technique and artistic performance, trying to be the best in every event.
Cheng Fei's efforts were not without results.
Over time, her performances in various international competitions have become more and more consistent, and her position in the gymnastics world has become more and more solid.
Her name is not only a household name in China, but also in the international gymnastics community.
She has become an idol for countless Chinese children and inspired them to devote themselves to the sport of gymnastics.
Injuries and retirement: the end of a career
In 2012, as the Olympic Games approached, Cheng Fei put a lot of energy and enthusiasm into training.
Every jump, every flip, she is working hard to achieve her Olympic dream.
However, fate played a joke on her at this critical moment.
During an ordinary training session, Cheng Fei suddenly felt a sharp pain in his ankle when he completed a complex movement, and then lost his balance and fell on the mat.
This scene stunned the coaches and teammates present.
In an emergency, the medical team quickly intervened and sent Cheng Fei to the hospital for examination.
After a series of examinations and diagnoses, the results were heartbreaking - Cheng Fei suffered a severe tear in her Achilles tendon.
This is a huge blow for any gymnast, and even more so for Cheng Fei, who is preparing to participate in the Olympics.
In a hospital bed, Cheng Fei faces a difficult decision.
Her coach, team doctor and family all came to her to discuss her future.
The doctor explained in detail the extent of her injuries and the long-term recovery process she may face.
The coach provided his insights from the perspective of the athlete's career.
During these discussions, Cheng Fei has remained calm.
She listened carefully to everyone's opinions and carefully considered her choices.
Eventually, after much deliberation, she made the decision – to retire.
The decision not only meant she would miss London 2012, but also the end of her career as a professional gymnast.
After retiring, Cheng Fei did not choose to stay away from the sports world, but decided to continue to exert her influence in the sports field.
She returned to her hometown of Wuhan and devoted herself to grassroots sports work.
She began to dedicate herself to training young gymnasts, imparting her skills and experience.
Life changes: changes in posture and inner perseverance
After retiring, Cheng Fei's life rhythm has changed significantly compared with the past.
During her time as an athlete, her life revolved almost around a rigorous training and diet schedule, but now, it's all no longer a part of her daily routine.
She began to enjoy more leisure time and try different lifestyles.
No longer has a routine of high-intensity training, coupled with the influence of the drugs needed to treat injuries and illnesses for many years, Cheng Fei's body shape began to change.
Compared to the lean body when she was an athlete, her figure has become more rounded.
When appearing in public, it is not difficult to find that the former Olympic champion has changed significantly in appearance and posture.
The change caught the attention of her family, friends, and even the public.
Some of them worry that such a change could affect Cheng Fei's personal life, especially her marriage.
Traditionally, posture is often thought of as a factor in marriage, especially for public figures.
However, in the face of these voices of concern and even doubt, Cheng Fei has always maintained an optimistic and confident attitude.
She once said in an interview that true love should not be judged based on appearance.
She believes that a person's worth and charm go far beyond their size.
Cheng Fei has always maintained a positive attitude towards life, actively participating in various public welfare activities, continuing to exert influence in the field of sports, and also enjoying the possibilities that life brings her.
Love concept and family expectations: Cheng Fei's marriage road
Until now, Cheng Fei's family and friends have always been very concerned about her life's events.
They often bring up this topic at parties, hoping to help Cheng Fei find a suitable partner.
In particular, her father, Cheng Ligao, is a traditional Chinese father who is particularly concerned about his daughter's marital problems.
He often inquired among relatives and friends, hoping to introduce his daughter to an excellent man.
Under Cheng Ligao's arrangement, Cheng Fei participated in several blind dates.
Blind dates are often held in restaurants or family gatherings, and the atmosphere is intimate and formal.
Cheng Fei always politely talks to her blind date and shares her experiences and opinions.
However, she always calmly steers the atmosphere to a relaxed and friendly one, so that these blind dates can be turned into friends or "good buddies".
Cheng Fei's attitude sometimes made her father a little anxious.
Although Cheng Ligao understands his daughter's character, as a father, he always hopes that his daughter can find a partner in life as soon as possible.
Despite this, Cheng Fei does not have too many expectations and pressures on these blind dates, she has always maintained a casual attitude, believing that fate will appear at the most appropriate time.
Cheng Fei's mentor, Lu Shanzhen, has always played an important role in her gymnastics career.
Coach Lu is not only her technical mentor, but also her mentor on the road of life.
He often half-jokingly urges Cheng Fei to get married as soon as possible, but he also knows that Cheng Fei is an assertive and independent woman, and she will choose life in her own way.
Unfortunately, after the death of coach Lu Shanzhen, Cheng Fei's marriage is still an unsolved mystery.
Coach Lu's death was a huge blow to Cheng Fei, but she also learned from this blow to cherish the people and things around her more.
Cheng Fei has said in many public occasions that she is open to marriage, but she will not force it. She believes that when the truly right people come along, everything will fall into place.
[1] Wan Jianhong, Li Ang.On "Cheng Fei Jumping" and Double Champion Cheng Fei[J].Journal of Jiangxi Institute of Education,2006,27(6):82-84