13 Gold, 10 Silver, 10 Bronze: Huaihua sports school dominates Provincial Youth Gymnastics Finals
The Hunan Provincial Youth Gymnastics Championships and Grading Competition were held at the Provincial Gymnastics School from December 19 to 22. Demonstrating superb skills and tenacious competitive spirit, the 13 athletes sent by Huaihua Sports School achieved an impressive haul of 13 gold, 10 silver, and 10 bronze medals. This outstanding performance placed them at the top of the provincial medal tally, laying a solid foundation for their preparations for the 2026 Provincial Games.
On the competition floor, the young athletes moved with agility and strength. Competing in events such as floor exercise, vault, and horizontal bar, they executed a range of highly difficult elements with remarkable consistency, fully demonstrating their tenacity.
Huang Zihua, who secured gold medals on the balance beam and in floor exercise, spoke candidly about feeling both nervous and exhilarated. "This competition was not only my last of the year but also a practical exam testing the solid training I put in during the second half," he said. "I was very tense during the meet and even made minor mistakes in my first two events. Ultimately, with my coach's encouragement, I adjusted my mindset and clinched the championship."
Sharing Huang Zihua’s sentiment, Gu Ziming, a young athlete who joined the school only four months ago, stated: “I hope to win another gold for my hometown at next year’s Provincial Games.”
These outstanding results stem from Huaihua Sports School’s long-term dedication and its “training-through-competition” approach. They also vividly reflect the “Huaihua sports spirit.”
Sun Hui, secretary of the school’s Party branch, remarked, “This competition served as a ‘touchstone’ for the Provincial Games. By competing against strong rivals, we identified areas for improvement and will carry out targeted training accordingly. We are determined to showcase Huaihua’s athletic excellence—both in skill and sportsmanship—at the Provincial Games.”
The school has now launched its "Provincial Games Breakthrough Plan." The initiative includes adding simulated competitions and forming "veteran-athlete mentoring" groups to conduct targeted training addressing the athletes' specific weaknesses. The goal is to achieve new breakthroughs at the 2026 Provincial Games, thereby writing a new chapter in sports education for the Five Streams region.
(Translated by Feng Tao)