“Sports teaches us to be aggressive and never to give up.” On Aug. 30th, 2019, Deng Yaping, the Olympic champion, delivered the keynote speech to Tianjin University’s freshmen 2019 during the Inauguration Ceremony. Deng shared her own experience with the freshmen and encouraged them to pursue excellence and success.

When Deng was young, she was once rejected by the Henan provincial team because she was too short, which nearly destroyed her career. “I didn’t give in. I love playing table tennis. I put up a fight for it.” Deng eventually got the chance to enter the national team.

Deng recalled the hard training she underwent. She used to practice every day with each leg strapped with a sandbag weighing 15 kilograms for 12 to 13 hours. Back then, their training condition was harsh. With no heater or air conditioner, the floor of the training room was slippery and icy in the winter and in the summer the heat was intolerable. Deng Yaping told the freshman that “External circumstance is never an obstacle to progress.”

In her later sporting career, she made remarkable achievements. At the age of 13, Deng Yaping defeated the world champion Dai Lili and won her first national championship. Three years later when she was 16, Deng together with her team member obtained her first world championship title in the women's doubles competition. From 1990 to 1997, she set a record of retaining the title of world No. 1 ranked female table tennis player for 8 years, which is still unbroken.

After Deng retired from the national team, she concentrated on academic study and got her bachelor’s degree at Tsinghua University, her master’s degree at the University of Nottingham and finally her doctorate from Cambridge University. Then Deng served on the International Olympic Committee, and worked hard to promote China’s Olympic bid. “I faced a lot of challenges each time my life path changed. So will you guys in the future. My personal advice, be passionate and patient about life and define your own meaning of it.” Deng suggested.

At the end of her speech, Deng Yaping communicated with the freshmen face to face. “I wish you youngsters to resonate with the pulse of the nation and the times. Bring the best self out and trust that everyone can be his own champion.”

By Chen Xiangrong

Editors: Eva Yin & Doris Harrington