Ramping up ambitions

"He is an impatient person. It isn't a bad thing for him to learn that reward takes time," Gao Yong said.

Considering his athletic career could now be over, the 20-year-old Gao Qunxiang does not seem too disappointed as he looks to the boundless possibilities of the future with optimism.

"The most annoying thing is I cannot perform any moves in such a beautiful skatepark," he said, adding that he thought he had totally recovered in March but soon injured his right leg again.

Recently, he made up his mind to go to Beijing for thorough treatment and rehabilitation. Now he reckons he has an 80 percent chance of getting back to his best.

"All the joy in my life comes from skateboarding. Bagging a gold medal and finishing a great move give me the same feeling of fulfillment, the same as coaching an outstanding youngster," he said.

He is convinced the park will soon be thriving when he returns to Xi'an after the treatment.

"It will be a brand-new start," he said."Just like a well-known motto in our community - 'It's never too late to start skateboarding.'"

"That's why I chose START as the name of my skatepark," he added with a boyish grin.