Wang Wenjie, a 2022 undergraduate at the School of Life Sciences, triumphed in the women's 100m event at the 61st Tianjin University Athletics Championships in 2023. She became the first gold medalist of the event.

Wang also won a silver medal in the women's shot put and, together with her teammates, secured the runner-up position in the women's 4x100m relay. On the green field, she freely expressed her youth and eloquently shared her remarkable sports story.

This was Wang Wenjie's first participation in the Tianjin University Athletics Championships. “It felt very different from high school sports events. Back then, we athletes were the center of attention among all students. But here in university, it’s most a personal thing as there were fewer spectators on the scence to cheer you up.” Despite the difference, Wang was still very excited. During the competition, she met many friends who loved sports and had great athletic talents. She rejoiced in their achievements on the field. Upholding the principle of "friendship first, competition second," she and other athletes admired and congratulated each other, fostering growth through their passionate encounters.

On the final day of the competition, Wang Wenjie's schedule was packed. She spent almost the entire day preparing and competing, which was undoubtedly challenging. It required her to maintain a relaxed mindset while continuously warming up to stay in top competitive form. The sprint events, in particular, left a deep impression on her. Sprinting demands extensive pre-race preparation, and any injury could affect performance in other events. She constantly adjusted her emotions and mentality, infusing ample energy into a series of high-energy activities and thoroughly enjoying the process. With such a spirited state, she won three medals in this athletics meeting, leading the medal table.

Wang Wenjie comes from a family that values sportsmanship. She has practiced various sports with her father since childhood. The stone bench beside the basketball court in her hometown marked the beginning of her love for sports. After she entered TJU, she tried many sports that she had never attempted before, such as tennis, volleyball, skiing, Teqball (Teqball is a ball sport that is played on a curved table, combining elements of sepak takraw and table tennis), and flag football (Flag football is a variant of American football where, instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end a down).

Her encounter with football was accidental, but her love for it was inevitable. In elementary school, she played football with some boys in her class and soon became irreversibly enamored with the game. Her reason for her love was simple: she enjoyed the pure feeling of a team striving together for a goal or a victory.

Wang Wenjie's high school dream was to join the university football team and win a game. Now, she has realized this dream by joining the Tianjin University Haitang Women's Football Team. This young and vibrant team experienced its first official 11-player match and ultimately finished seventh in the Tianjin University Students' Football Competition. This achievement affirmed her persistent efforts and provided a strong motivation for her continuous improvement.

Whether on the field or in training, the lessons learned from sports have been immensely beneficial to her. She is particularly grateful to her coaches and teammates. She feels that their team plays with more strength in each game. Throughout the competition, they maintained a resilient and indomitable will, improving in tactical thinking, physical fitness, and combat ability. The team became more unified and cohesive.

Through sports, Wang Wenjie not only improved her physical fitness but also made many excellent friends who shared her passions.

For Wenjie, a greater gain was the tactical thinking she developed through sports. While playing football, she actively observed and analyzed the game, testing her observation and thinking skills. Understanding the rules of sports is essential for increasing the intensity of the game. She noted that this kind of mental progress might not be as gradual as physical improvement, but when our thinking reaches a higher level and our perspective broadens, the game becomes easier.

When asked how she fell in love with sports and got into the habit of exercising, she said one should dare to try various sports and fully explore the charm of each, as different sports can provide different sensory impacts. For instance, the dopamine and adrenaline released during intense running can be exhilarating. After engaging with a sport, one should actively practice and improve their skills; the better one gets, the more they will enjoy it.

"You just try it! The charm of sports speaks for itself." said Wenjie.

Apart from the role at the Haitang Football Team, Wang Wenjie serves as a knife handler (a member performing precise and disciplined movements or drills with the knife or sword as part of ceremonial duties) in the university’s National Flag Guard Team. “I put a lot of time and efforts into this duty. You know, each training counts for the perfect performance. It’s a sacred duty to guard the national flag and I can’t fail it.”.

The girl lived quite a busy college life, switching from different roles and trying her best to find a balance in life. “I have to do a lot of football training to hone my skills, enhance teamwork and improve my tactical thinking. The training often makes me exhausted physically, which turns out to be very useful for my sleep and sometimes helps alleviate acadmic pressure.” Wang also quite enjoyed the National Guard training as she finds a meditation-like state while standing at attention for long periods, “I use the time to ponder issues I enjoy.”

For Wang Wenjie, the journey of sports never ends. The balance between relaxation and full engagement is her key to success. She looks forward to trying more sports and discovering new surprises in the future.

“I wish every girl student at our university is able to achieve comprehensive breakthroughs in physical fitness and tactical thinking, becoming exceptional versions of themselves.”

By Dai Rui

Editor: Eva Yin