In 2022, simply days earlier than his 18th birthday, Chinese snowboarder Su Yiming discovered himself atop an Olympic podium with a gold medal hanging round his neck.
The 17-year-old had simply received the males’s huge air last at the Beijing Winter Olympics, a second which modified his life in unimaginable methods.
In fact, Su was already well-known by some in China. He had discovered fame as a child actor in a number of motion pictures earlier than switching his consideration to skilled snowboarding in 2018.
But after successful gold – and a silver in the slopestyle occasion – at his house Games, his profile soared increased than he might ever have imagined.
Luxury manufacturers got here barreling in, eager to companion with the man of the second who captured the creativeness of China’s youthful technology.
Suddenly, his face was in every single place, from style shoots to tv appearances. Su was a superstar.
Now boasting over 300,000 followers on Instagram and over 2,000,000 on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Su is certainly one of the most recognizable faces heading into subsequent 12 months’s Winter Olympics in Italy.
“I feel really honored and feel really lucky to have so many people who always look at me,” he tells NCS Sports from a coaching camp in Switzerland.
“I’m all the time trying as much as my idols, in snowboarding and even in life, so I actually know what it means to the youthful technology to look as much as their idol.
“I really try to be better, and try to show young people that once you have a dream, once you have something you love, just putting 100% to go chase for your dream, and then it will come one day.”
Su’s rise to Olympic champion isn’t any accident.
Both his mother and pa had been snowboarders and he remembers discovering himself enjoying on the slopes from the age of 4, when his mother and father couldn’t discover anybody else to take care of him.
At first, he used a board that was larger than he was. It took a whereas, virtually 5 years, earlier than he grew into it.
By then, the slopes in northern China became his second house. It’s a place which feels completely pure to Su. In at this time’s fast-paced world, the place he finds himself being pulled from one main metropolis to a different, the 21-year-old nonetheless longs to spend day trip in the wild, the place the solely factor that issues is having enjoyable on his board.
But earlier than he became a sporting icon, Su’s first break into the public consciousness got here in the world of appearing.
When producers of a new movie had been searching for a child who was snug on the snow, Su swapped out his board for skis to play Zi Shuan in the fashionable movie “The Taking of Tiger Mountain.”
The movie and his character struck a chord with the Chinese public and Su noticed his appearing profession blossom, occurring to function in a number of different movies and tv collection.
“That memory just gives me a really special feeling,” he mentioned, trying again at his time as a child actor.
“I’m pretty sure a lot of people at that age can’t experience so many crazy things. It’s pretty crazy.”
But whereas his appearing profession went from energy to energy, he by no means let go of his love for snowboarding and a fireplace was lit in his coronary heart after Beijing was picked to host the 2022 Winter Games.
He turned his consideration full-time to the sport in 2018, competing in his first correct competitors a 12 months later the place his potential was clear to see.
Whether he carried out properly or poorly in competitions, the teen saved dreaming of creating it to the Olympics and devoted his total life to enhancing.
Then, after a stellar 12 months earlier than the Games, Su was chosen to characterize his nation. What occurred subsequent, was simply the icing on the cake.
He received two medals, the first a silver after which the magical gold. It was the defining second of his younger life.
But after the fanfare died down, Su was left with a gap. For most of his teenage life, he had dreamed of successful gold at the Winter Olympics. Once he achieved his wildest ambition, there was a interval of transition the place he misplaced his motivation.
“I kind of lost my passion for competing,” he mentioned. “I nonetheless cherished snowboarding, however I made a decision to take a 12 months and a half off to take some relaxation for my psychological and in addition for my physique.
“Every morning I awoke, there was a dream, some objective you wished to chase for, that’s why you place in your 100% and work actually onerous.
“But right after I won the gold, the next morning I woke up and thought there was nothing else I wanted. It feels really empty at that point.”
Much like different sporting prodigies, reminiscent of US tennis star Amanda Anisimova, Su spent the ensuing months recharging his batteries. He loved day off with household and mates, immersing himself in nature and pursuing his different pursuits, reminiscent of style.
“I still got out snowboarding, but just without any purpose, and not for competition, just trying to have fun,” he mentioned.
“I think that definitely helped. I felt like I just needed some time to take a rest – snowboarding is just a part of my life.”
After that reset, he returned to aggressive snowboarding with a new ambition of retaining his Olympic title in Italy.
Life, for him, appears very completely different heading into his second Winter Games and Su is aware of there will likely be a goal on his again throughout the competitors.
“I got more pressure going into the next Olympics because, for the last one, I was just kind of a nobody, and it was just more about challenging myself,” he mentioned.
“People are expecting more from you, and that’s why you feel pressure from yourself. But I spent a lot of time talking to my family and I took those years off after the Olympics to set my mind in the right spot. I use those pressures for motivation.”
Pool, fishing and browsing
Su is aware of he’s in the privileged place of being in excessive demand. He has ventures in a number of completely different fields and is rising his profile round the world.
It’s exhausting simply listening to about the issues such a younger man can match into his 24 hours, however it’s a schedule that appears to energise him.
But steadiness, he mentioned, helps him get pleasure from his usually hectic life and profession.
While his inventory is rocketing round the world, the skateboarding sensation stays humble, grounded by these who know him greatest.
“I’m a pretty chilled guy, especially when I’m back home. It’s the time you can finally relax,” he mentioned.
“I’ve been having fun with spending time with household, simply consuming dinner collectively after which having a dialog. That feels actually particular, it’s like recharging.
“Also, when at home, I go play pool with my friends and I go fishing and surfing. I’m not the guy who wants to be at home and watch his phone or a movie. I’m trying to get close to nature and doing a lot of stuff that feels like I’m connected to nature.”
But the world is ready to see the different aspect of Su in February subsequent 12 months, the one able to being the greatest snowboarder on the planet.