Pooling their knowledge: Olympic champions share life lessons

Olympic swimming champions Wang Shun and Ye Shiwen traded the pool for the podium on Tuesday, but instead of focusing on their gold medals, they gave college students a raw and honest lesson on handling failure.

Speaking at the Meet the Champions Lecture Series at the Beijing University of Technology, the two veterans peeled back the "glamorous" facade of elite sports. They offered a genuine class in "frustration education," opening up about their personal struggles, the lowest moments and the mental fortitude required to compete at the highest level.

Despite their immense success on the global stage, both swimmers centered their talks on dealing with defeat and sticking to the grind.

Wang didn't shy away from his past struggles, saying that for a long time he was jokingly called the "Mr Bronze" by those around him because he consistently missed out on gold and silver medals, repeatedly finding himself stuck in third place.

"Whether it's in your studies or your future careers, everyone hits roadblocks," said Wang, who won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He made a direct comparison between athletic hardships and campus life, noting that the frustration of hitting a wall in training is no different from failing an important exam or seeing a heavily researched project fall apart.

"The underlying issue is always the same. I hope that by sharing how we pushed through our tough times, you can learn to process those negative emotions, stay on your path and, ultimately, reach the goals you set for yourselves at the very beginning."

He also reflected on his longevity in a sport where athletes traditionally retire in their twenties. Now thriving in his thirties, Wang credited better sports science and a comprehensive support team, but also emphasized a refusal to let age dictate his limits.

"An athlete's career is just like an electrocardiogram," Wang noted. "It jumps up and down. Having highs and lows is completely normal. The peaks are unforgettable, but biting the bullet and pushing through the injuries and the unforeseen troughs is what truly leaves a mark on your soul."

Ye, who shot to fame with two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games, shared her own painful experience of falling into a deep slump after massive early success. She shared that an athlete's career is naturally full of peaks and troughs, and nobody stays on top forever. Stepping down from the podium and mentally starting from zero, she admitted, is an incredibly difficult transition.

"When you are lost or hitting rock bottom, it's very easy to get trapped in a negative headspace," Ye recalled.

She spoke of days when she was constantly beaten down by her inability to hit her target times in the water. "But, I knew that when I woke up the next day, I still had to believe in the sunshine. Rather than letting that negativity consume your days, it's much better to actively look for the beautiful little things in life."

For Ye, the downward trajectory of a slump was not wasted time; it provided crucial life lessons, prompting a complete shift in her mindset and a higher level of cognitive maturity.

"I used to believe that only finishing first could prove my worth and define success," she reflected. "But, now, I realize that as long as you give it your absolute all and leave with no regrets during the process, that in itself is a true success."

In a "Champion PE Class" segment, the two stars took on the roles of guest gym teachers.

Ye demonstrated her warm-up routine and guided the students through a tricky shoulder coordination drill — moving one arm forward while simultaneously circling the other arm backward.

The demanding exercise sparked plenty of laughs and enthusiastic participation from the crowd, breaking the ice between the athletes and students.

Looking ahead, both veterans were full of confidence for the future of the Chinese swimming program. Speaking about the recent surge of young talent, Ye said she was thrilled by their strong performances, specifically pointing out that several young athletes are now clocking under four minutes and 35 seconds in the women's 400m individual medley.

She also praised rising star Yu Zidi, who was born in 2012, the very same year Ye won her Olympic gold. Ye believes China remains highly competitive and is well-positioned to dominate the women's medley events at future international meets.

Wang echoed this sentiment, praising the team's incredibly robust talent pipeline. He noted that swimming, a mainstream Olympic category that accounts for 30-plus gold medals, relies heavily on a healthy "catch-me-if-you-can" competitive atmosphere. Seeing so many brilliant young athletes pushing each other within the squad makes him highly optimistic about what's to come.