Modern pentathlete Luo Shuai of China secured qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics after finishing in sixth place at the World Modern Pentathlon Championships in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, in mid-June.

Luo had waited nearly a year for this day, after missing out on an Olympic spot at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, in 2023.

"I was very confident at that time. I was confident that I could win the Asian Games," Luo told the China Media Group (CMG).

"The failure at the Asian Games was a huge blow to me," he added. "I was very frustrated for the rest of the year. Whenever I thought about it during practice, negative emotions would haunt me. It was difficult for me to adjust my mindset."

The Chinese national team began their winter training camp after the Asian Games and invited a new coach, Huang Zuping, to help Luo improve his riding. The modern pentathlete credits Huang with providing a lot of helpful advice.

"The coach taught us many new concepts about riding and improved our understanding of the event," Luo said. "He focused our attention on a lot of details that we had never thought about before."

Having improved his form, Luo participated in the World Championships in June and won the men's laser run individual title. It had been a year since he stood on the top of the podium in any major competition. Moreover, he finished the modern pentathlon final in sixth place to qualify for the event at Paris 2024.

"Like in Tokyo, my dream has always been winning the gold," Luo told CMG. "But I don't want to set an inflexible big goal like taking a medal for myself in Paris. I just want to do my best in the competition."