Sheng Lihao. [Photo/WeChat account: zjgwtgl]
The recently announced lineup of athletes representing China in the 19th Asian Games, which will take place from Sept 23 to Oct 8, includes three from Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Among them is Sheng Lihao, born in 2004. Sheng clinched a silver medal in the men's 10-meter air rifle final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at just 16 years old, becoming the youngest medalist in the history of Olympic shooting competitions.
Another promising athlete is Yu Yuantai, born in 1997. Yu is a member of the Chinese men's volleyball national team, where he serves as an ace spiker. In September 2021, Yu helped the team secure a bronze medal in the Asian Volleyball Championship. In 2022, his team won the championship at the AVC Cup for Men.
The third athlete is Yuan Qiqi born in 1995. She is the third person from Zhangjiagang to participate in the Olympics. In 2013, Yuan claimed a gold medal at the 12th National Games, and she secured the first gold medal for China at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships.
In addition to these athletes, Liu Xinshi, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the Zhangjiagang Sports Association, will serve as an official during the Asian Games. Joining him is Wang Minyi, the city's first international-level referee.