“Feeling really good right now” – Jing Yu wishes to inspire more female players after debut at Beijing Paralympics
Follow Us
Jing Yu
Chinese para ice hockey player Jing Yu had a special International Women’s Day that she will never forget. The 38-year-old Yu made her Paralympic debut in China’s 6-0 win over Italy on the final day of the preliminary round at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games on Tuesday while the forward had a total time on ice of 5:19.
“I am feeling really good right now,” said Yu during a post-match interaction with paralympic.org. “I was able to compete against Italy on this special day. It makes me feel meaningful as well. This is a perfect day for me.”
After missing out on the first two games against Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Yu finally got the chance to show her skills on home soil at the National Indoor Stadium.
“I played [wheelchair] basketball before and then a friend introduced me to Para ice hockey. At first, I didn’t have any idea about the sport, but when I tried it for the first time, it really made me happy. That is why I continued to play it,” she said while talking about her para ice hockey beginnings.
“Am the representative of female players in this team”
Although Jing Yu is the only female player at the Games, she is not the sole Para ice hockey representative in China.
She added: “There are many girls in China who would like to join the sport and there are already many who play it. I am the representative of these female players in this team. I got the chance to play for the national team and be on this stage to show the power of Chinese women to the world.”
“They treat me like their little sister,” Yu said with a big smile on her face. “They are taking care of me and protecting me daily. I feel like a giant panda that everyone takes care of.”
Also Read | “Felt really good all the way through” – Kendall Gretsch secures middle distance gold at Beijing Paralympics
Stay Updated!
Sachin Arora
(2527 Articles Published)