China farm girl, 15, from landlocked rural area becomes country’s first surfer to reach Olympics
- Countryside born, Yang Siqi sees ocean aged nine, cannot swim, learns to surf
- Fitness, bravery wins her World Surfing Games, secures Olympic berth
A 15-year-old surfer who is set to become the first athlete to represent China in the sport at the Olympics has an inspirational personal story to tell.
Yang Siqi, who hails from the inland rural area of Liangshan in southwestern Sichuan province – one of the poorest areas in China – first saw the sea when she was just nine years old.
Her journey began with a simple request to her uncle, a wrestler, to introduce her to a new sport. He guided her towards sailing, but after a few months, she was drawn towards surfing.
“It’s not because I come from a poor, rural area and needed sport as a way out, but because I love sport and my parents respect and support my choice,” Yang told China Youth Daily.
“This path has indeed been hard and tiring, but because I love it, I have never thought about giving up,” she said.
Her first encounter with the sea in Hainan was a shock because she could not swim and was afraid of the water.
However, after learning to swim, she soon became hooked on the thrill of surfing.
Surfing coach Luo Yang has praised Yang for her exceptional fitness levels and courage which make her a stand-out competitor.
“She has good physical fitness, outstanding strength, and is among the braver girls who dare to challenge difficulties,” said Luo.
“Surfing is an extreme sport, and surfing judges tend to favour aggressive athletes who dare to take on challenges. Yang Siqi is exceptionally well-suited to surfing,” Luo added.
Before making the Olympics, Yang failed in her two previous attempts at the 2022 and 2023 World Surfing Games, ranking 29th and 31st, respectively.
The 2024 World Surfing Games (WSG) in Puerto Rico presented Yang with her last opportunity to qualify for the Paris Olympics. Coach Luo was very optimistic about her chances before the competition.
“Among those still competing for Olympic qualification, Siqi only needs to perform normally,” Luo said at the time.
She did not disappoint.
Her performance in Puerto Rico saw her win the heat with 11.83 points, beating British surf-skate phenomenon, Sky Brown, and Costa Rica’s 2021 Olympian, Brisa Hennessy, earning her a historic Olympic berth.
“I was ranked first after the competition, but I did not realise I had qualified for the Olympics. We were about to leave. When the staff asked me to stay, I was not aware that I would earn Olympic qualification,” she said.
“I was super-excited when I was told I had qualified. I felt my hands trembling because I had achieved my goal set in 2022.”
Surfing has a long history and is deeply ingrained in some countries, where children learn from a very young age. However, China only established its national surfing team in 2018.
On the mainland, where only the coastline of Hainan is seasonally suitable for surfing, the lack of resources has posed challenges for high-level surfers looking to improve their performance, and for the sport’s national development.
Despite these challenges, surfing has become popular among young Chinese adults in recent years, with Yang’s story inspiring more to explore the sport.
“She is the role model for my surfing journey now,” one online observer said.
“Sichuan is inland and not by the sea. But this Sichuan girl has overcome everything to make it to the Olympics. Well done,” another person wrote.
“She has made history. Sister, you are truly impressive, accomplishing so much at such a young age,” said another.
