Ye Shiwen: Life outside the pool
- By Chen Xia
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E-mail China.org.cn, August 1, 2012
China's swimming sensation Ye Shiwen shocked the world at the London Olympics this week by winning two gold medals in the 200- and 400-meter individual medley. But, deep down, she's just an ordinary teenager, an interview published in the Zhejiang-based Today Morning Express revealed.
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Ye Shiwen wins the gold medal of women's 400m medley at London Olympic Games. |
Since her childhood, Ye proved to be a promising swimmer. At kindergarten, she was boyish and tough. Having observed her strong arms and big feet, her teacher recommended her to a local swimming coach. "The coach said she would definitely become an Olympic medalist," Ye's mother said.
Ye didn't let them down. At the age of 12, she won a national swimming competition; at 14, she claimed three gold medals at FINA Swimming World; and at 16, she became the Olympic gold winner.
The former tomboy has grown into a young lady and has begun to fancy long hair instead of her current short hair. "It's natural for a girl at her age to be self-conscious, but long hair won't fit under her swim cap," her current coach Xu Guoyi said.
The girl also loves nail arts. "Her fingers are long and pale," her mother said. "They look pretty when she wears bright nail polishes like blue and yellow." Sadly, painting nails is not allowed in Ye's swimming team. Nonetheless, the girl never misses an opportunity to do it at home. When she finishes polishing her nails, she also paints her mother's, too.
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