Jin Jing facts for kids
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| Born | 1981 (age 43–44) Hefei, Anhui, China |
| Jin Jing | |||||||||||
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| Chinese | 金晶 | ||||||||||
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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 well-known when she carried the Olympic torch during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay in Paris, France.
During the relay, some people tried to grab the torch from her. Jin Jing, who uses a wheelchair, bravely protected the torch. This event made her famous in China. She was called the "Smiling Angel in Wheelchair" and the "Most Beautiful Torchbearer."
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Her Early Life
Jin Jing's parents worked hard to support their family. Her father, Jin Jiansheng, moved from Shanghai to Anhui. There, he met and married Liu Huayao. Jin Jing was born in 1981 in Hefei. She also has a younger sister named Jin Renyu.
When Jin Jing was eight years old, part of her right leg was removed. This happened because doctors found a serious growth on her ankle. She then had a year of special medical treatment.
In 1995, her family moved to Shanghai. Jin Jing studied information technology in a special school. After finishing school, she worked as a telephone operator at a hotel in Shanghai. She got married in Shanghai in September 2013.
Becoming a Fencer
On July 13, 2001, Beijing was chosen to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. On that same day, Jin Jing joined the Shanghai Wheelchair Fencing Team. Later, she became part of the Chinese National Wheelchair Fencing Team.
She competed in many fencing tournaments. Here are some of her achievements:
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Wheelchair Fencing World Cup | Warsaw, Poland | Women's Wheelchair Fencing Épée | 8 th |
| 2002 | FESPIC Games | Busan, South Korea | Women's Wheelchair Fencing Épée | silver |
| Women's Wheelchair Fencing Foil (Team) | bronze | |||
| 2003 | 6th National Paralympic Games of the P.R. China | Nanjing, China | Women's Wheelchair Fencing Épée | bronze |
| Women's Wheelchair Fencing Foil (Team) | silver | |||
| 2003 | World Wheelchair Games | Christchurch, New Zealand | Women's Wheelchair Fencing Épée | bronze |
| 2005 | National Table Tennis and Fencing Games | Nanjing, China | Women's Wheelchair Fencing Foil | bronze |
| 2005 | Wheelchair Fencing World Cup | Hong Kong | Women's Wheelchair Fencing Épée | 5 th |
| Women's Wheelchair Fencing Foil | 5 th |
In May 2008, Jin Jing became an ambassador for a Paralympic cheering group. Her role was to help share information about Paralympic sports around the world.
On September 6, 2008, she carried the Paralympic torch into the Bird's Nest stadium. This was during the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games. This moment was widely reported in Chinese news.
The Olympic Torch Relay Incident
In 2007, Jin Jing was chosen to be an Olympic torchbearer. This happened after she took part in a special trial called You Are the Torchbearer. On April 7, 2008, she was the third person to carry the Olympic Flame in Paris. During the relay, some people tried to grab the torch from her.
Jin Jing later said that she "would die to protect the torch." The president of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, spoke about the incident. He said it was "unacceptable" that someone tried to take the torch from a disabled athlete.
When she returned to Beijing, 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 became a hero in China. News reports called her the "Smiling Angel in Wheelchair" and the "Most Beautiful Torchbearer." Her story was shared widely, showing her courage.
In April 2008, Jin Jing received a letter from French President Nicolas Sarkozy. He said the attack was "intolerable" and strongly condemned it. Jin Jing was happy to be invited to France by President Sarkozy. She hoped to help strengthen the friendship between China and France.
On September 18, 2008, President Sarkozy met Jin Jing at the Élysée Palace. He praised her "exemplary courage." This meeting helped improve relations between the two countries.
Her Message of Friendship
After the incident in Paris, some people in China called for a boycott of the French retailer Carrefour. They wanted to show their anger towards France. However, Jin Jing spoke out against this idea.
She said that most of Carrefour's employees are Chinese. A boycott would hurt them first. Jin Jing also spoke about the importance of "Chinese people's friendship with the French." She wished French athletes the best 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 for this stance, she is still widely known as "The Angel in Wheelchair."
See also
- Paralympic sports
- Sports in China
