Chen Jingyue, a kiteboarder from Pingtan, the closest place on the Chinese mainland to the island of Taiwan, secured second place on Sept.10 in the 14th Chinese National Games in women's hydrofoil, which is the best performance for a Pingtan's athlete in the game.

Chen Jingyue competes in the women's hydrofoil kiteboard competition.[photo courtesy of interviewee]

The 14th National Games kicks off in Xi'an, northwestern China’s Shaanxi province on Sept 15. The countrywide event, inaugurated in 1959, is billed as China's mini-Olympics, and features 410 events across 35 sports for professional athletes, and 185 disciplines in 19 mass programs this year. 

Chen, born in 2000, started learning kiteboarding in July 2012. For 9 years, she has participated in a host of national, Asian, and world championships and walked away with many awards. She is the first athlete in the history of Pingtan to win the title "International Master of Sports", and the first Chinese kiteboarder to win the title. 

It is reported that in one month, Chen Jingyue will represent China in the Hydrofoil Kiteboard World Championships in Italy. This is the first time a Chinese player has participated in the Hydrofoil Kiteboard World Championships.

Furthermore, Chen will be joining in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

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