Chinese athlete Zhang Mengqiu who won two gold and three silver medals at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in China, shared her secret to success with Xinhua News Agency: Working hard and never giving up.

Zhang's incredible performance in the para alpine skiing events at Beijing 2022 came from her six years of relentless efforts, since she was selected by the provincial team of her hometown Hebei Province when she was 14 years old. She didn't have the best balance, athleticism and even lacked balanced strength in her legs. As a result, she had to work harder than teammates in training.

However, every time coaches asked Zhang if she wanted to do one more lap after practice, she never hesitated to do it.

"At the beginning, I couldn't even finish the 30-minute warm-up. I thought about quitting," Zhang told Xinhua. "But I managed to continue thanks to the encouragement from my parents and coaches."

"I had never expected to stand on the podium of any major tournament, but I was convinced I could achieve good results as long as I work hard," she added.

Since Zhang was selected by the Chinese national team in the 2017-18 season, she rose quickly as a top para alpine skier and won six titles in a series of international tournaments including the World Para Alpine Skiing Championships.

Chinese athletes had never won a medal in the paralympic alpine skiing events until Zhang, who made five breakthroughs for her country. She said she never set high targets or placed too much pressure on herself. "I win when I can perform as I should in the competitions," she said.

"Athletes must work hard. My mom kept telling me 'Life is too short to run away from fighting, now is the best time to do it,'" Zhang told Xinhua. "Every time I wanted to give up, I recalled her words. Success belongs to people who strive hard and never give up. No pains, no gains."

Zhang is currently resting to recover from injuries and she expects to participate in the Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy in 2026.