Many up-and-coming talents were showcased during the Paris Olympics 2024, with Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin emerging as one of the most remarkable.
Zhou, who was only eighteen, won a silver medal in the balancing beam competition, and her happy moment was captured on camera as she playfully bit into her medal on the podium. Her win won her hearts across the globe.
Fans recently got a sweet peek into Zhou’s life away from the mat when pictures of her quietly assisting her parents at their restaurant went viral. These photos showed Zhou’s humble demeanor despite her sudden rise to fame.
Zhou Yaqin, who placed second in the balance beam competition in Paris 2024 after Italian gymnasts Alice D’Amato and Manila Esposito, captivated hearts when she made a lighthearted effort to eat her medal, mimicking her rivals and producing a heartwarming and viral video.
Zhou has since gone viral once more, although it’s not related to the Olympics this time. She was spotted serving food at her family’s neighbourhood eatery in her home town of Hengyang, Hunan province, China, in a touching demonstration of humility. This charming moment, which highlights Zhou’s genuine personality, has captured social media attention again.
Zhou Yaqin: Who is she?
Zhou Yaqin began her gymnastics career at the age of eighteen, and already she has amassed an incredible collection of medals. Zhou started her adventure at the young age of three, demonstrating her devotion and skill from an early age. She specializes in the balance beam.
Zhou’s incredible gymnastics career has been nothing short of extraordinary. She continued to excel at the senior level, capturing gold at the World Championships and the National Games of China after taking home the solo gold in the balance beam at the 2020 Chinese Championships.
Her greatest moment came in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she qualified first, beating off the illustrious Simone Biles, and took home a silver medal (14.366), just shy of gold winner D’Amato’s score of 14.366. Remarkably, Zhou surpassed Biles once more, finishing sixth in the championship match. This was a pivotal point in her career.