A Chinese teenager smashed five world records at this year's jump rope World Cup in Norway. Cen Xiaolin, a 17-year-old boy from south China's Guangdong Province, scored his record haul last week when the competition wrapped up. But, the road to be champion has not been an easy one for Cen, or the team he belongs to. Let's take a closer look at how a group of primary school students from a remote region in China skipped onto the world stage.
264 times in 30 seconds
Cen Xiaolin broke his own record of last year, jumping 264 times in 30 seconds. "I stand out in speed. I'm short. Short people skip fast," said Cen.
Eighteen domestic teams are representing China this year. Xiaolin was from Huadong Middle School in south China's city of Guangzhou. The team he belongs to has won 37 individual event championships.
Cen Xiaolin at the jump robe competition. /VCG Photo
Jump for confidence
The team's coach, Lai Xuanzhi, is exceptionally proud of the achievements his students have made. "This year, Chinese teams have broken nine world records. Our team made seven," said Lai. It's hard to imagine what's behind the glamour. Huadong Middle School is located in the countryside, outside the city. Half of the students are left-behind children whose parents move to far-off cities in search of work. The school's headmaster said the students here are timid and lack confidence. So, she thought of an idea to help build up the children's confidence – jumping rope.
A life-changing sport
"They were afraid of communicating with others in the past, but now you see them chirping like birds. Besides, they've also learned how to cooperate, and developed resilience to withstand hardship," said Zhang Youlian, the headmaster.
The coach of the team tells another story behind the rope. "Many students won't continue studying after completing their primary school education. They usually go out to work at around sixteen years old, like their parents. We have to use this rope to help them stay on and receive an education," said Lai. Now, the rope has not only brought the students hope, but also new possibilities on the world stage.
"These children are not gifted players, but there's one thing in which we are more competitive than others, and that's hard work. Clumsy birds have to start flying early. Sport is not just a contest for medals. It's also about exercising the body and changing one's life," Lai said.