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Zheng Ninali (Nina Schultz) looks on in women's heptathlon competition in the track-and-field test event for the 14th National Games of China in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 1, 2021. /CFP
When 22-year-old Zheng Ninali (Nina Schultz) finished the 800-meter race segment of the women's heptathlon in the track-and-field test event for the 14th National Games of China in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Wednesday, she basically had the title in her pocket.
However, the Canada-born naturalized heptathlete did not seem happy at all. On the contrary, you could tell she was upset and Schultz even rejected media interviews after the competition. Her total score was 6,153 points, which is already a career-high but is still 267 away from qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. The event is only a bit more than two months away and Zheng does not have too many opportunities left to increase her score.
"I will give her 7 out of 10 for her performance this time. I think she will make the Tokyo Olympics," said Zheng Fengrong, grandmother of Zheng Ninali to Xinhua News Agency. 83-year-old Zheng Fengrong is a legendary track-and-field athlete in Chinese history. Back in November 1957, she became the first female Chinese athlete to break a world record.
Zheng Ninali competes in women's heptathlon in the track-and-field test event for the 14th National Games of China in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 1, 2021. /CFP
Zheng Fengrong's husband Duan Qiyan used to be an athlete too. The couple began to help Zheng Ninali and another grandchild of theirs, Zheng Enlai, with their athletic development from 2000.
"When Tiger (Zheng Enlai) was roller skating, Nina was always running after him," recalled Zheng Fengrong. "When Nina was so young, she dared to jump from a one-meter-tall platform while we were catching her down there."
"Both Tiger and Nina inherited our athletic talents and began to show them when they were kids."
Zheng Enlai is an ice hockey player who is also a naturalized Chinese citizen. His goal is to play for the national team in the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Zheng Ninali (C) competes in women's heptathlon in the track-and-field test event for the 14th National Games of China in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 1, 2021. /CFP
Though Zheng Ninali grew up overseas, according to Zheng Fengrong, she has been training the Chinese way. In 2017, Zheng Ninali attended the 13th National Games of China in Tianjin as a Chinese Canadian athlete. One year later, she won the women's heptathlon silver medal for Canada in the Commonwealth Games.
"Before Nina's 20-year-old birthday, she told me she wanted to acquire Chinese nationality and attend the Tokyo Olympics representing China. We hugged in tears," said Zheng Fengrong.
"Nina is a very confident, hard-working and self-disciplined girl. She gave up college in the U.S. and came back to China at the beginning of this year only to attend the National Games and Tokyo Olympics. Gong Lijiao helped her with shot put. She was also doing better in javelin throw. All of our family expect surprise from her," said Zheng Fengrong.
