First, under the guidance of her parents, Deng Linlin stepped into the gate of Anhui Provincial Sports School. There was a big dream hidden in the little figure, which was a gymnastics dream that her father had failed to achieve.
Her father once told her that gymnastics had always been his wish, but he could not achieve it because of his advanced age. These words were deeply rooted in Deng Linlin's young heart and became the motivation for her to persevere.
From the moment she stepped into the sports school, Deng Linlin fell in love with the sport of gymnastics. The day-to-day training was hard, but she enjoyed it. In order to be able to dance better than others, she often "trains" herself.
When the students were resting, she could always be seen on the training ground alone, practicing every movement over and over again. Deng Linlin's diligence and talent quickly caught the attention of the coach.
The coach of the provincial team was very fond of her when he saw her, and even brought her from school to the training team. Whenever there is a game, the coaches tend to let this hard-working little girl play.
In 2002, 10-year-old Deng Linlin proved herself with strength. In that year, she won four trophies in one go. Standing on the podium, her eyes glittered with pride.
These trophies are not only an affirmation of her hard work, but also a testament to her talent. Deng Linlin's outstanding performance has attracted the attention of the national team. In order to fight for this "legendary" young player, there was even a "quarrel" between the national team and the provincial team.
Second, in the end, for the sake of the child's future, the provincial team chose to "release people". In this way, in December 2003, Deng Linlin, who was only 11 years old, became a member of the national team and started her new gymnastics journey.
Every movement, every jump, is Deng Linlin's response to her father's expectations, and it is also her insistence on her dreams. Although the rigors of gymnastics training often exhausted the tiny figure, she never thought of giving up.
In her heart, gymnastics is not only her father's dream, but also her determination to stick to her life's work. In December 2003, 11-year-old Deng Linlin stepped into the door of the national team, full of expectations for the future.
However, reality soon hit her in the face. Due to age restrictions, she could only train behind the scenes until the age of 16, and did not participate in important competitions. This "Little Beanding", who is only 1.37 meters tall, is petite, but his ambition is taller than anyone else.
After coming to the national team, Deng Linlin quickly realized that the intensity of training here was far greater than what she had experienced before. However, it is her ideal to surpass everyone else. With the opportunity to stand on the world stage at hand, who can hold back the excitement? Even if she can't compete, she uses every day as a preparation for the world stage, watering her dreams with sweat.
Third, in this period of training that did not see the light of day, Deng Linlin always maintained a high fighting spirit. She knows that the more silence she has, the more motivated she is. In order not to make a fool of herself in the future, she always redoubles her efforts.
When the students were resting, she could always be seen lonely on the training ground. Finally, in 2008, 16-year-old Deng Linlin waited for the opportunity she dreamed of. Competing in an important tournament for the first time, she amazed everyone with her performance.
With a slight jump, the elegant posture aroused the applause of countless audiences. The potential contained in the body of a 16-year-old girl amazed all the judges present. In her debut, she won three medals, gold, silver and bronze.
This competition won Deng Linlin a bigger stage - the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In this world-renowned arena, with a height of 1.37 meters and a weight of 31 kilograms, she is definitely the "focus" of the entire arena.
When the Chinese women's team was "in decline", the coach arranged for her to play urgently. This decision, which seemed a bit "rash" to everyone, actually won the country's first gold medal in women's team gymnastics.
Standing on the podium of the Olympic Games, Deng Linlin's eyes flashed with tears of excitement. That little girl who was once unknown is now shining brightly on the world stage.
She proved that "size doesn't matter" with her strength, and she is petite, but she has the courage and strength of a giant. From this moment on, Deng Linlin is no longer an unknown "Little Douding", but a rising star shining in the international sports arena.
Fourth, the success of the Beijing Olympics has made Deng Linlin's status in the team skyrocket. However, with that comes more strenuous training and higher expectations. In 2011, Deng Linlin ushered in another peak of her career.
At the National Gymnastics Championships, she won the "Double Championship" and once again proved her strength. However, behind the cheers and applause, Deng Linlin clearly felt the warning from her body.
Years of intense training are starting to show their negative effects, and her fitness is slipping down. The exhaustion after each training session is stronger than ever, and the recovery time is getting longer and longer.
Deng Linlin knew in her heart that her body was protesting to her, but she chose to grit her teeth and insist. Facing the upcoming 2012 London Olympics, Deng Linlin did not want to give up.
She became the main leader of the Chinese gymnastics team and shouldered the heavy responsibility of leading the entire team to the world stage. Despite her daily cries of pain, she continued to train and did not want to live up to the expectations of her coach and teammates.
Fifth, at the London Olympics, Deng Linlin once again showed amazing strength. Not only did she lead the team to excellent results, but she also won gold in the women's balance beam event.
When the national anthem sounded and the five-star red flag was raised, Deng Linlin, who was standing on the podium, had both the joy of victory and the confusion about the future in her eyes. After the Olympics, Deng Linlin's physical condition deteriorated.
She is well aware that her peak may have passed. From the age of 16 to 21, in just five years, she bloomed her brightest light on the world stage.
The glory of these five years was obtained by her 8 years of foreshadowing and hard work since she was 8 years old. In 2013, at the age of 21, Deng Linlin had to face a harsh reality: her gymnastics career was coming to an end.
The decision to retire was a knife in her mind, but she knew it was a must-choose. After 13 years of running for gymnastics, she is only 21 years old, and she is about to say goodbye to her beloved arena.
At the press conference of the retirement, Deng Linlin held back tears and reviewed her gymnastics career. She thanked all those who helped her and regretted that she could not continue to bring glory to her country.
Six, despite her reluctance, she understands that it is time to open a new chapter in her life. From this moment on, Deng Linlin will continue her life journey with a new identity. In 2013, 21-year-old Deng Linlin bid farewell to the gymnastics arena and stood at the crossroads of her life.
She has been standing on the field since she was a child, leaving the familiar environment, and she didn't know what to do for a while. For her, childhood was a day in and day out, and she shy away from talking in front of her teammates and coaches.
However, Deng Linlin did not stop there. With her excellent athletic performance, she was given the opportunity to study at Tsinghua University. This is undoubtedly a new challenge for the former Olympic champion.
When she stepped into the classroom for the first time, she felt more confused and helpless than ever before when she was confronted with dense words and complex formulas. Difficulties in learning are just the beginning.
Deng Linlin found that her interpersonal experience was about zero, and she often felt cramped and uneasy in front of her classmates. Sometimes, she thinks back to her glory days in the Circle, when she was so confident and dazzling.
Seven, and now, she is like a new schoolboy, strange and scared of everything. Once upon a time, she could understand how to make beautiful moves on the field. But now, she can't understand why these movements are "beautiful" and why they can get so much recognition.
The principle of the "golden ratio" was completely foreign to her. Only then did she realize that the world was so vast, and all the actions in the world were "traceable".
Once, Deng Linlin even ran back to the gymnasium crying, complaining to her coach, saying that the outside world was too big for her to accept for a while. But soon, she wiped away her tears and went back to school.
She knew she couldn't just give up. As a result, Deng Linlin began to transfer the perseverance of gymnastics training to study. She spends her days and nights in the library, researching obscure topics.
In four years, she used her own way to catch up with the efforts of others in 12 years. In this process, there is the guidance of the coach, the care of the teacher, and the kindness of the students.
Eighth, to Deng Linlin's surprise, as time went by, her body also had new changes. It has grown from 1.37 meters to 1.46 meters, although the growth is not much, but the 9 centimeters make her ecstatic.
Not only that, but her "childlike face" has gradually grown and looks much more mature. Slowly, Deng Linlin adapted to university life and made significant progress in her studies. Her efforts and growth were seen by her classmates, and many people called her a "goddess" and said that she was "a flower of Peking University".
Whenever she heard such praise, Deng Linlin would always blush, showing a shy and happy smile. From the gymnasium to the ivory tower, she has redefined her life in her own way.
The precipitation of college life has made Deng Linlin grow into a more well-rounded person. After graduating, although she experienced a period of confusion, she quickly found her own direction.
Gymnastics, the sport she grew up with, has always held an important place in her heart. With the professional knowledge accumulated in the university and many years of gymnastics experience, Deng Linlin successfully passed the international gymnastics referee exam.
Nine, which means she can return to the familiar circle in a new capacity. When she sat in the referee's seat for the first time, she was thrilled. She used to sweat on the field, but now she has to evaluate the performance of each contestant with a fair eye.
Returning to the familiar stage again, Deng Linlin is like a fish in water. She has a sharp eye and knows the details of every movement. During the judging process, she can not only see the skill level of the contestants, but also feel the effort they put in.
This experience gave her a deeper understanding and appreciation of gymnastics. In 2019, Deng Linlin ushered in another turning point in her life - she got an opportunity to study abroad.
In a foreign country, she not only learned new knowledge, but also gained a more comprehensive understanding of the development of gymnastics on the international stage. This experience broadened her horizons and laid a solid foundation for her future career in gymnastics.
From athlete to referee to academic, Deng Linlin interprets her love for gymnastics in different capacities. Her experience proves that retiring does not mean saying goodbye to your dreams, but continuing to pursue your dreams in a new way.
On the road of gymnastics, Deng Linlin is still moving forward, continuing to write her gymnastics dream in her own way. During her study abroad, Deng Linlin's life ushered in an unexpected turning point.
Ten, she met Gu Xuesong, an archery athlete who was also "expatriate" to study. Gu Xuesong once won glory for the country with his teammates at the Incheon Asian Games and won honor for the Chinese archery team.
The two became close because of their shared athletic background, and soon became friends who talked about everything. are both athletes and wanderers who are sent to study, Deng Linlin and Gu Xuesong always have endless topics to talk about.
They shared their sports experiences, exchanged learning experiences, and supported each other in a foreign country. Because Deng Linlin is petite, Gu Xuesong will always take special care of her, and this thoughtfulness makes Deng Linlin feel warm.
In getting along day and night, the relationship between the two gradually warmed up. Deng Linlin was moved by Gu Xuesong's carefulness and thoughtfulness, while Gu Xuesong appreciated Deng Linlin's strength and optimism. Their relationship continued to grow through mutual care, and finally came to fruition.
On October 4, 2023, Deng Linlin and Gu Xuesong tied the knot with the blessings of relatives and friends. When Deng Linlin wore a white wedding dress and walked into the marriage hall holding Gu Xuesong's arm, her eyes flashed with tears of happiness.
Eleven, from the "shortest Olympic champion" to the "goddess of Peking University", and then to the happy bride, Deng Linlin used her own experience to interpret the wonderful transformation of life. Standing at a new starting point in her life, Deng Linlin looked back on the past and was full of emotion.
Her story teaches us that anyone can create their own legend if they have a dream in their heart and work tirelessly to achieve it. Today's Deng Linlin has not only achieved something in her career, but also gained sweet love, which can be described as a winner in life.
Her future will continue to shine brightly.