Jin Jing facts for kids

Jin Jing (Chinese: 金晶; pinyin: Jīn Jīng) was born in 1981 in Hefei, Anhui, China. She is a Chinese Paralympic fencer. Jin Jing became famous as a torchbearer during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay in Paris, France. She bravely protected the Olympic torch when some people tried to take it from her. This event made her a national hero in China.

Her Early Life and Family

Jin Jing's parents, Jin Jiansheng and Liu Huayao, were working people. Her father moved from Shanghai to Anhui during a time called the Cultural Revolution. There, he met her mother. Jin Jing was born in 1981 in Hefei, Anhui. She also has a younger sister named Jin Renyu.

When Jin Jing was in elementary school in 1989, doctors found a serious growth on her ankle. Part of her right leg had to be removed. After this, she had a year of special medical treatment. In 1995, her family moved to Shanghai. She studied information technology in a special school. After finishing school, she worked as a telephone operator in a hotel in Shanghai. Jin Jing got married in Shanghai in September 2013.

Becoming a Fencing Champion

On July 13, 2001, Beijing was chosen to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. On that very day, Jin Jing joined the Shanghai Wheelchair Fencing Team. Later, she became part of the Chinese National Wheelchair Fencing Team.

Her Achievements in Fencing

Jin Jing had a successful career as a fencer. Here are some of her achievements:

In May 2008, Jin Jing was chosen as an ambassador for a Paralympic cheering group. Her job was to help share information about Paralympic sports around the world. This was important before the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. On September 6, she carried the Paralympic torch into the Bird's Nest stadium. This happened during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

The Olympic Torch Relay Incident

An attempt to wrestle the torch from Jin Jing in Paris

In 2007, Jin Jing took part in a special tryout to become an Olympic torchbearer. This event was organized by China Central Television. She was chosen to carry the Olympic torch. On April 7, 2008, she was the third person to carry the Olympic Flame during the relay in Paris. During this relay, some people protested and tried to grab the torch from her.

News reports said that protesters tried to reach Jin Jing. Most were stopped by the French police. However, at least one person reached her wheelchair and tried to pull the torch away. Jin Jing was quoted saying she "would die to protect the torch." The president of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, said it was "unacceptable" that someone tried to take the torch from a disabled athlete.

When she returned to Beijing after the Paris relay, Jin Jing talked about her experience. She said, "They began lunging towards me, trying to grab the torch from my hands. I tried to hide the torch with my body and managed to keep it from them." She trusted the people helping her, who faced the danger with her.

Jin Jing said she didn't know much about politics before the protests in Paris. She had never heard of the movement for Tibet's independence. After the incident, she felt even more strongly that Tibet is a part of China.

Jin Jing's Message of Friendship

After the incident in Paris, many people in China were very angry. Some even called for people to stop buying things from the French store Carrefour. However, Jin Jing said she did not want people to boycott Carrefour. She explained that most of the store's employees were Chinese, and they would be the ones most affected.

Jin Jing also spoke about the friendship between Chinese and French people. She wished the French athletes good luck at the Beijing Olympics. She added that Chinese people would welcome French people and athletes with a "tolerant, friendly and passionate attitude." Even though she faced some criticism online, she is still widely known as "The Angel in Wheelchair."

See also

• Paralympic sports
• Sports in China