Eleven Chinese rising stars to watch at Hangzhou Asian Games

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Although some veterans will return to the Asian Games for the second, third or even fourth time, there are youngsters ready to go one step further in their career. Following are 11 Chinese rising stars who will be rocking the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Zheng Qinwen (Tennis)

As one of the hottest rising stars in tennis, Zheng rallied past last year's runner-up Ons Jabeur at the US Open last week to achieve her first win over a top-10 player at a Grand Slam.

Despite losing to world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the quarters, Zheng still made a breakthrough in her career by reaching the final eight of a Grand Slam event for the first time.

In July, Zheng won her maiden WTA title at Palermo Open. Known to fans as "Queen Wen", the 20-year-old is now eyeing on the Asian Games.

Ke Jie (Go)

Go made its Asian Games debut as an official event at Guangzhou 2010, with China claiming three silvers behind South Korea's three golds. Go will come back to the Hangzhou Asiad after its absence at Inchon 2014 and Jakarta 2018.

Ke was the youngest Chinese Go player to win eight world championship titles in 2020, after taking his fourth title at the Samsung World Go Masters. As a Zhejiang Province native, the 26-year-old Ke will make his Asiad debut in both team and individual events.

Liu Qingyi (Breaking)

Ahead of its Olympic debut in Paris next year, breaking events will first become available to the Hangzhou public at the Asian Games this month.

Liu, who pocketed silver at the 2022 WDSF World Breaking Championships last October, continued her fine form with a resounding victory at the Breaking for Gold World Series 2023, the first Olympic points event in breakdancing this year.

The 17-year-old prodigy will be aiming for gold in Hangzhou, as the winners of the men's and women's events will each get a direct ticket to Paris 2024.

Zhang Boheng (Gymnastics)

As one of the best men's all-round gymnasts in the world, Zhang will face serious challenges from Olympic champion Daiki Hashimoto of Japan in Hangzhou. Zhang beat Hashimoto by 0.017 points to win the men's all-around title at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships just three months after Hashimoto was crowned at the Tokyo Olympics.

Zhang lost the rematch at the Artistic Gymnastics Worlds one year later, but took the gold at the Chengdu Universiade this August after Hashimoto quit due to injury.

In Hangzhou, the 23-year-old Zhang and 22-year-old Hashimoto will be in their fourth duel, both aiming for the highest podium.

Huang Yuting (Shooting)

China has never lacked young gunners who can demonstrate strong competitiveness on big stages, and Huang is surely one of them. Huang pocketed two golds and one silver in her international debut at the 2022 ISSF World Championships in Egypt, earning multiple Paris Olympic berths for China.

The 17-year-old Zhejiang native is pursuing for three gold medals in the 10m air rifle women's individual, team and mixed team events in Hangzhou.

Tian "Meiko" Ye (Esports)

"Meiko" may sound unfamiliar to those who are not into Esports. But for League of Legend (LoL) fans, it is a name that can make them scream. Meiko joined renowned Chinese club EDward Gaming in 2015 as a sub support and became a starting player soon after.

After winning the 2021 LoL World Championship in Iceland, Meiko completed a Grand Slam along with the 2015 Mid-Season Invitational and Spring and Summer Split titles in China's LoL Pro League with EDG. Meiko also triumphed in Jakarta 2018 when Esports made its debut in Asiad as a demonstration event.

Yin Ruoning (Golf)

Yin became world number one in women's golf after finishing third at the LPGA Queen City Championship last week, thus becoming only the second player from the Chinese mainland to reach the top after Feng Shanshan.

The 20-year-old, who turned pro in 2020, claimed her first LPGA victory at the Los Angeles Open this April, before winning her first major title at the Women's PGA Championship in New Jersey two months later. Yin, who claimed a team bronze in Jakarta, will be coached by Feng at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Shi Haoyu (Artistic Swimming)

As the first and only male swimmer in the Chinese artistic swimming team, Shi made his international debut at the age of 15 at the FINA Synchro World Series 2017 in China by taking gold in the mixed duet free with partner Sheng Shuwen.

Despite winning multiple World Cup and World Series golds with different partners in the following years, Shi had never had a chance to top the podium at the World Championships until Fukuoka 2023, in which Shi won the mixed duet free and team acrobatic, along with a bronze in the mixed duet technical.

Wu Yanni (Athletics)

Capturing the public's attention for her pretty looks and unique personalities on the first place, Wu proved that there's a lot more to say about her on the track. Having won the women's 100m hurdles title at the 2023 Chinese National Athletics Championships, she later claimed silver at the Chengdu Universiade with a personal best of 12.76 seconds to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

As people tend to judge more on her high-key conducts, Wu started the preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games early on. After all, performance and results speak louder than any statements.

Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang (Badminton)

Just a bit more than one year after the duo paired up, their world ranking rocketed from world number 424 to the current number two after they won the men's doubles final at the China Open last week, 22 years after China's Zhang Jun/Zhang Wei last claimed the men's doubles title at home.

As China's most promising men's doubles duo at the moment, Liang and Wang might have a chance to top the men's doubles ranking in Hangzhou as they are just 138 points shy of leaders Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia.

Wu Mengjie (Volleyball)

As an outside hitter, 21-year-old Wu often reminds people of Zhu Ting for the same position, similar heights and playing style. Wu made the national team training roster for the first time in April 2022 after her stunning performance in China's Nationals Games and the domestic league.

At the Chengdu Universiade in August, Wu led China to a straight-set win over Japan in the women's volleyball final with a team-high 16 points. Despite losing to host Thailand at the 2023 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship early September, Wu still made the tournament's Dream Team.