On September 20, the event titled “Promoting the Olympic Spirit, Passing on the Power of Role Models,” which welcomed Olympic athletes of HUST back to campus, took place at the Optics Valley Gymnasium. Paris Olympic champions Chang Yani, the women’s synchronized 3m springboard champion and an undergraduate student from the Class of 2024, Sun Mengya, the women’s canoe double 500m champion and an undergraduate student from the Class of 2026, and Zheng Qinwen, the women’s singles tennis champion and an undergraduate student from the Class of 2027, shared their Olympic stories with over 2,000 students and faculty representatives of HUST. HUST President You Zheng, along with Luo Qiyi, Deputy Director of the Hubei Administration of Sport, attended the event. HUST Vice President Feng Dan announced the recognition decisions.

On behalf of the university, President You Zheng warmly welcomed the three returning Olympic champions. He pointed out that on the competition stage, Chang Yani, Zheng Qinwen, and Sun Mengya demonstrated a spirit of perseverance and fearlessness. “They displayed an indomitable fighting spirit, a sense of unity and cooperation, and an optimistic, friendly, and confident demeanor,” said You.

Luo Qiyi noted that HUST’s Olympic athletes, through their outstanding performances and historic achievements, brought glory to the country, honor to Hubei, and pride to their university. Their efforts reflected the progressive spirit of Hubei and embodied HUST’s motto of “Virtue, Erudition, Truth, Innovation”.

The university awarded Chang Yani, Zheng Qinwen, and Sun Mengya the “HUST Youth Medal.”

The Hubei Administration of Sport presented HUST with a custom plaque as a gift, commemorating the most spectacular moments of HUST’s champion students at the Paris Olympics.

The university also presented the champions with a scroll titled “HUST Olympic Athletes’ Victory Moments”. This scroll was created using artificial intelligence technology by HUST’s Key Laboratory of Light and Interactive Media, accredited by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, capturing the triumphant spirit and heroic moments of HUST’s Olympic athletes as they forged ahead to claim victory.

The three champion students also brought gifts for the university. Chang Yani presented the competition suit she wore during the women’s synchronized 3m springboard final at the Paris Olympics, Zheng Qinwen presented the tennis racket she used in the women’s singles tennis final, and Sun Mengya brought the racing suit she wore when she won the gold medal in the women’s canoe double 500m final.

During the exchange session, Zheng Qinwen used five keywords—Germination, Breakthrough, Ecstasy, Study, Reflection—to describe her journey of growth and struggle. From dreaming of becoming a champion as a child to becoming the first Asian athlete in the 128-year history of the Olympics to win a tennis singles gold medal, Zheng shared the challenges, patience, and eventual triumphs she experienced. “Every failure is for that one moment of success, and all the effort is worth it,” she said, encouraging students to bravely chase their dreams and explore the infinite possibilities in life. She also expressed her gratitude to HUST for being her strong backing during her preparations for the Olympics, noting that the enthusiastic support from the alumni community at the competition venue deeply warmed her heart, and the ongoing attention and encouragement from the university motivated her to keep moving forward.

What lesser-known experiences have shaped the champions’ paths to success? How is the Olympic spirit of “surpassing oneself and never giving up” passed on? In the “Champions’ Dialogue” segment, the host conducted interviews with Chang Yani, Zheng Qinwen, and Sun Mengya. The three champions reflected on their unforgettable moments of fighting hard and bringing glory to the country on the Olympic stage, sharing their personal stories of overcoming challenges and continuously striving to break through their limits.

In the “Champions’ Sports Class” segment, the three champions led the students and faculty in learning basic movements from diving, canoeing, and tennis. The atmosphere was lively, with continuous rounds of applause.

“I want to cheer for Queen Wen (Zheng Qinwen)! The Wuhan Open is just around the corner, and I hope she performs well in her hometown!” one student exclaimed. Another added, “I really like Nini (Chang Yani). She’s so quiet and gentle off the field, but on the field, she’s fearless and brave!” Yet another remarked with excitement, “I’m so happy to see Sun Mengya in person! I’m so proud of her!” The students and faculty were visibly excited, offering their admiration and praise to the champion athletes.

Written and Edited by: Chang Wen, Peng Yumeng