Adapting to life in the fast lane

"Wait, what? I'm the Asian Games gold medalist now?"

This was the genuine, shocked reaction of 17-year-old sprint sensation Chen Yujie moments after dominating the track at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

Affectionately dubbed "kid sister" by Chinese fans online, the high school student from Ningbo, Zhejiang province, went from watching the Hangzhou Asian Games on television three years ago to becoming the undisputed star of the Nagoya athletics stadium.

Yet, behind that youthful disbelief lies a fearless competitor who thrives under immense pressure — perhaps most notably in the chaotic and highly intimidating 4x100m mixed relay.

With the leg order switching back to male-female-male-female this year, Chen was tasked with receiving the baton from a male teammate. It was a challenge that tested both her nerves and her reflexes.

"Having a male runner hand off the baton to a female runner was really terrifying," Chen told China Daily afterward.

"Because when the male runners come up from behind, their speed is extremely fast. And our reaction at the start is relatively slower. The speed at which the male runners approach is completely different from that of a female teammate.

"For the same distance, a female runner might need three steps, but for them, it takes just two steps to reach us," she explained.

"Before I realize it, he's already in the exchange zone. So there's often a high chance of unpredictability during the handoff. It's really about constantly adapting to their speed."

But once the baton was safely in her grasp, the teenager left all her apprehension — and her opponents — behind her.

"It was just a pure thrill while running," she said. "It felt quite different from the women's relay."

That fearless sprint helped power the Chinese quartet, which also included Chen Jinfeng, Liu Guoyi, and Shi Junhao, to a gold-medal finish in 40.78 seconds.

It was a fitting climax to an Asiad debut that saw Chen sweep the women's 100m, the women's 4x100, and the mixed relay, while securing a hard-fought silver in the 200m.

"I managed to race in four event finals at my very first Asian Games," the teenager reflected. "Standing on the Asian Games stage was already great, but being able to compete in so many finals, I feel like I've given myself a sense of validation."

Chen's rise to the top of Asian athletics has been nothing short of meteoric. In the women's 100m final, she crossed the finish line in a blistering 11.06 seconds, shattering both the Asian Games record and the Asian U20 record.

"Since it was all uncharted territory, there was definitely a bit of anxiety and fear, but, after finishing the 100m, I realized I was actually pretty good!" Chen laughed.

The 200m event, however, exposed a different side of her development. Chen took silver behind Singapore's Shanti Pereira in 22.93 seconds. Rather than making excuses about the rain or the grueling schedule, the teenager displayed remarkable maturity.

"Every athlete has to face the same conditions. I can't blame my mistakes on external factors," she noted, calling Pereira a rival worth respecting. "I planned to stay with her through the bend and then look for a chance to pass on the straight, but I'd used up too much energy in the first half."

Her major breakthrough on the senior stage came at China's National Games in 2025, when she swept the sprint titles. Yet, despite her undeniable talent, Chen admits she is still processing her own rapid ascent.

"Before the National Games, I felt like I was just very small and insignificant. Then at the National Games, I unexpectedly won two titles, and I was like, 'wow, I'm actually amazing!' I still remember what I said back then," she recalled. "I said: 'What just happened? I just came back with National Games titles?'

"I was just in a state of total disbelief, it felt surreal."

Despite her youthful exuberance, Chen exhibits the discipline of a seasoned veteran when navigating a multi-event competition schedule. Managing her physical and mental recovery became a top priority in Nagoya.

"After competition, especially back at the hotel, I would try to bring my excitement levels down as quickly as possible and then focus on preserving my energy," she explained. "You shouldn't get back to the hotel at 10 pm and then stay up until 3 or 4 am. It's best to avoid that."

As a result, her recovery routine is methodical.

"Taking a hot shower, or doing something to relax my muscles, and then going to the cafeteria to grab some food. Eating enough carbs to make myself drowsy usually helps me sleep," she said. "Then I can sleep longer and conserve more energy."

Away from the blinding spotlight of the Asian Games, Chen's life remains grounded in the realities of a typical teenager. As a high school senior, she faces the looming pressure of the national college entrance exam, or gaokao. For Chen, athletic success and academic development must go hand in hand.

"When I get back, since I'm in my final year of high school and the academic pressure is high, I'll probably just focus on catching up on the classes I missed," she said pragmatically. "Since the season is over, I can shift most of my focus onto my studies for now. Then, when the next season starts, I'll gradually shift my focus back to training."

This balanced, grounded nature is heavily nurtured by her parents — both former sprinters themselves, with her father boasting a personal best of 10.80 seconds in the 100m. They understand the immense pressures of the sport and prioritize their daughter's well-being over any medal count.

"Over the past two days, they've mostly just been telling me to make sure I rest well, because the competition schedule was really intense," Chen said.

"Other than that, after every final, they'd just send me a red envelope so I could treat myself, and that was it!"

With three Asiad golds already to her name before her 18th birthday, Chen's athletic journey is only just beginning. Equipped with a remarkably calm mindset, a loving support system and a blistering top speed, the "kid sister" of Chinese athletics is poised to leave an indelible mark on the global track.