BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Perhaps growing up in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China, a place referred to as the "roof of the world", helped prepare Xi Ricuo to one day stand atop the podium as a champion at the Youth Olympic Games.
The 17-year-old dominated the two stages of the women's 5,000m race walk on Tuesday at Buenos Aires 2018 to win the gold medal in 45 minutes 3.49 seconds, nearly one minute faster than the runner-up, Sofia Elizabeth Ramos Rodriguez, of Mexico. Greece's Olga Fiaska won bronze, clocking a time of 1:06.53.
The Chinese athlete used to be a shepherd girl, destined to lead a life of farming as her parents have done. But race walking put her on a different path. "I'm so excited to win the YOG gold," she said after her victory on Tuesday.
"I never dreamed of that. I still can't believe it." Growing up in a small village with an altitude of more than 3,000m, Xi used to herd sheep and help her parents run a small restaurant. Just four years ago, she was a middle school student running in local sports competitions.
She had no real training yet always finished first. She was soon drafted to the running team of Shanxi province and moved away to live 1,000km from her hometown.
"My parents didn't want me to go as it was too far and they were worried whether I could take care of myself," she said. "But I insisted as I really hoped to see the world outside my hometown."
When Xi first started with the new team, she trained in running, but within three months of being there she took to race walking. "I don't know why I can walk faster than others," she said. Despite being steadfast in her decision to move, she missed her family deeply and would connect online every day with her parents.
"I was always laughing during the video chat, but I cried only after hanging up the phone," she said. "I didn't want my parents to be worried about me, though I really missed them. But I don't regret my choice. If I didn't come here (to train), I would probably have become a shepherd girl. Track and field changed my life. From school to the YOG, it is just like a dream."
It was unthinkable for a young Xi that she would come to experience so many cities as an athlete. She used to think Xi'an was the farthest place in the world from her home. "Now I fly 30 hours to Argentina," said Xi, extending her thanks to the Shanxi team and her coach Yang Sha.
"At one point in 2017, I was so tired that I almost gave up my training. But my coach persuaded me to continue. Now I want to express my thanks and love to her. I will not let her down."
Xi has not had many reunions with her parents over the years and because of the 11-hour time difference between Buenos Aires and Beijing, they had to stay up late to see her gold-medal results. "I told my parents the good news. They were so excited and will eventually have a very good sleep," she said.
