Many people immigrate to Vancouver in order for their children to get a better education and to shine on the stage in a foreign country. For this reason, parents are trying their best to hope that their children can have a good future, even if they sacrifice their own quality of life.
It is gratifying that there are indeed quite a few Chinese teenagers who have really become bright stars in Canada, and 17-year-old Nicholas Zhang is one of them.
The Chinese-born teenager from Richmond has qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and is part of the Canadian fencing team, which will compete in the men's epee individual event at the Olympic Games!
He will be the youngest Chinese-American member of the Canadian Olympic team.
Last weekend, Nicholas qualified for the Olympics after winning extra-time in the final of the FIFF Pan American Qualifiers in Costa Rica.
In fact, Nicholas himself could never have imagined that he would be able to achieve his Olympic dream so quickly: "At first I couldn't believe that I had achieved my dream, but now that I'm calming down and feeling good. ”
Born and raised in Richmond Chinese
Born and raised in Richmond, Nicholas attended Henry Anderson Primary School in Richmond before moving to Sentinel Secondary School in West Vancouver in secondary school. Sentinel Middle School has a dedicated fencing-related curriculum that will allow him to better fulfill his dream of being a fencer.
Nicholas' fencing career began at the age of 7. After a fencing club experience in Richmond, his parents discovered that he had a keen interest in fencing and began taking lessons every week and then devoting most of his after-school time to fencing.
At a very young age, Nicholas confessed, "I want to be at the Olympics, it's a big dream, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show what I'm capable of in front of my family, my friends, and I'm excited to be on the pitch for Canada." ”
Nicholas' father, Martin Zhang, is of course thrilled about his son's participation in the Olympics: "He's been training and working hard for 10 years, and I want him to enjoy every moment of his Games." ”
Why did my son succeed? Martin's sentiment is: "Never stop believing and don't feel like some dreams are out of reach. ”
Enlightenment Coach: It's really "surreal"
Although Nicholas' Richmond Dynamo Fencing Club, where Nicholas first started fencing, is a bit of a celebrity, even the club's president, Igor Gantsevich, admits that "it's surreal for our cadets to be on the Canadian national team and to be able to compete in the Olympics." ”
"The important thing is that Nicholas is still a Year 12 student and that he is able to compete with some of the best athletes in the world, which is really special and we are very honored and proud. ”
It is worth mentioning that the club's president, Gantsevich, also almost joined the national team for the Olympics in 2010, but suffered an injury and was unable to make the trip. His dream was finally realized in his cadets.
"Nicholas' success gives all members of our club confidence that anything is possible, and he is a role model for all our students and even all of our coaches," says Gantsevich.
Because of his brilliance in the field of sports, Nicholas was admitted to Harvard University this year, and at a young age, he became a winner in life. However, Nicholas admits: "I haven't decided which department to study yet, because I want to prepare for the Olympics first. ”
"While not giving up on fencing, I may be inclined to study a certain science, but I'm also open to other majors. Nicholas is currently preparing for the Olympics, such as going to Saudi Arabia for the Under-20 Fencing World Championships.
Is it better to study in a volume than to study in a volume?
Nicholas' experience has given Chinese parents an inspiration: is it better to study than to do sports?
After all, the Chinese are recognized as "world-class IQ, but very mediocre physical fitness", rather than competing with others in mental power, if you take the track of sports, is it easier to succeed?
Don't have this kind of shortcut thinking, because the success rate of sports is very low, and Nicholas's experience is very rare in the whole of Greater Vancouver, which is one in a million, and it requires the right time and place, and it also requires the child's long-term persistence, parental support, and huge financial investment.
For a very simple example: if you are looking for a famous teacher to learn piano and art, the 1-hour course fee is nothing more than $80~$150, but to learn some key sports, such as one-on-one private training in ice hockey, the course fee is often more than $500.
The issue of race also has to be discussed: compared with whites, the physical fitness of yellow people is indeed inferior, and it can be said that they lost at the starting line. If the child really lacks physical talent, then even if he goes to "roll", he may not be able to become successful.
Looking at the Chinese who shine in the North American sports scene, there are actually only a handful, such as Jeremy Lin and Gu Ailing, their success is enviable, but their success is destined to be very difficult to replicate.
Because of this, Nicholas, a young fencing boy, was able to participate in the Paris Olympics, which caused widespread media coverage and heated discussions, giving him the title of "Light of the Chinese".
Maybe at the age of 17, he doesn't have the strength to compete for gold and silver on the world stage, but as long as he can stand on the highest stage, this is already a realization of his life ideal, good luck to him!