Gold medal-winning boarder Xu leaves rivals in her wake

Her daily training includes not only practice on the water, but also strength exercises, such as weightlifting, coordination drills and endurance training on land.

"The sport also keeps me in good shape," she added, proudly flexing her arm muscles.

As a Sichuan native, competing in Chengdu held special significance for Xu.

After missing the Birmingham World Games in 2022 due to injury, she finally had her moment in the spotlight — and she made it count.

"This medal means a lot to me. Winning a gold medal in my hometown fills me with incredible pride," said Xu.

Yet, the golden moment was just one highlight of her whole Chengdu experience.

Days before, she had earned the honor of being a final torchbearer for the opening ceremony — where she and teammate Alu Xiaobo stole the show with a daring aquatic spectacle. Skimming across the water in a motorboat's churning wake, they raced toward the Games' first-ever cauldron and set the flames roaring to life.

"I was really excited and nervous at that moment," she recalled.

"The World Games truly serve as a wonderful stage to help more people discover wakeboarding," she said, adding that she looks forward to more events being held in China in the future.

Xu also highlighted the Sancha Lake International Aquatics Center as an ideal competition venue, praising its unique combination of mountain scenery and expansive open water competition area.