Olympic karate medalist Gong Li wants to have no regrets at Chengdu World Games

Chinese karateka Gong Li will participate in the 2025 Chengdu World Games that will begin in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Thursday. The 25-year-old Olympic bronze medalist sat down with CGTN Sports Scene's Zhu Mandan and shared her story of coming back from a career-threatening injury.

Gong earned a bronze in the women's 61 kilogram contest at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She then won the women's 61kg title at the World Karate Championships in Budapest in 2023 and the gold medal of the event at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in the same year.

In 2024, Gong suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in her left knee at the Asian Karate Championships in Hangzhou where she eventually won the singles title. After surgery, she managed to return to competition and aims high for her debut at the World Games.

"I believe the most essential quality for a karateka is a courageous heart," Gong said. "Karate is truly a game for the brave. I've always been quite confident. I feel like I'm the best in the world. I'm invincible. Whether there's one challenger or a whole group, I stand ready to fight."

Though karate is no longer an Olympic sport, Gong's love for it has never faded and she just wants to keep fighting. She believes that one day, karate will make it back to the Olympic Games.