Wu Minxia's diving career is legendary. She has been learning to dive since she was 6 years old and has shown extraordinary talent. At the age of 13, she was selected for the national team with an outstanding performance and began a new chapter in her career.
Just three years later, at the age of 16, Wu Minxia won the World Diving Championships, showing the world the strength of China's new diving generation. At the age of 19, she ushered in another highlight of her career - winning the Olympic gold medal with her partner Guo Jingjing, pushing the glory of Chinese diving to a new peak.
However, behind these brilliant achievements is an unimaginable hard work. Every morning, while her peers are still enjoying a warm sleep in the bed, Wu Minxia has already started a new day of training by the pool.
The cold splash of water slapped mercilessly on her immature face, but it inspired her inner fighting spirit to be stronger.
Day after day, year after year, Wu Minxia has forged her own glory with sweat and perseverance. On the international stage, her golden partnership with Guo Jingjing has attracted much attention. The two have a full tacit understanding and perfect cooperation, and have won numerous honors for the Chinese diving team.
Wu Minxia's growth process is like a rising star, illuminating the Chinese diving world. Her talent, hard work, and persistence have made her a strong contender for the new generation of "diving queens". However, behind these achievements, Wu Minxia also faces some loss and struggle in her heart, which is the driving force for her to keep moving forward.
Despite repeated achievements in the doubles event, Wu Minxia has always been suppressed by Guo Jingjing in the singles event. Every time she stood in the second position of the podium, she would secretly vow in her heart: next time, she must stand on the top.
The label "Second in 10,000 Years" weighed on her heart like a heavy stone, making the young diver feel pressured.
In 2010, fate played a cruel joke on Wu Minxia. In the FINA World Diving Series, she was full of confidence, but on the fourth jump, she accidentally slipped on the sole of her foot and fell off the springboard.
Blood flowed down her right leg, but the pain was not as good as the zero score given by the judge for the inner torment, like a heavy hammer that shattered her self-confidence that she had worked so hard to manage.
The accident became a turning point in Ms. Wu's career. After the game, she was almost overwhelmed by the overwhelming doubts. "It's a shame for the Chinese diving dream team", "You can't win the championship without Guo Jingjing" and other remarks were like sharp knives, which deeply pierced her heart.
That night, she hid alone in her dormitory and cried bitterly, as if she saw the end of her career. However, in Wu Minxia's most desperate moment, a brief text message lit up the hope in her heart: "Are you okay? These four words are simple, but they contain infinite care and encouragement.
This young announcer named Zhang Xiaocheng quietly walked into Wu Minxia's life and became a beam of light for her to move forward in the dark.
The appearance of Zhang Xiaocheng filled Wu Minxia with the courage to move forward. Wu Minxia realizes that her value lies not only in her results, but also in making people realize that her spirit can give strength in the face of doubts and setbacks.
This experience made Wu Minxia more determined in her goals. She is secretly determined to prove herself with a better performance, not only to take off the hat of "the second oldest in ten thousand years", but also to become a well-deserved "diving queen".
This inner struggle and unremitting pursuit have become the driving force for Wu Minxia to continue to break through herself in the future arena.
Wu Minxia and Zhang Xiaocheng first met in a match in 2008. At that time, Wu Minxia heard a crisp, clean and loud voice reading her name, this voice was so beautiful that she couldn't help but look back, but only saw a vague figure.
This moment became the beginning of their love story.
Two years later, after Wu Minxia experienced that heartbreaking mistake in the game, Zhang Xiaocheng sent a text message "Are you okay?" It warmed her heart and started his journey into Wu Minxia's life.
In the silent care and support, their feelings slowly warmed up. On his first date, Zhang Xiaocheng deliberately chose a high-end restaurant, hoping to make a good impression on the girl he liked.
Wu Minxia was considerately worried that he had just graduated and was financially constrained, so he only ordered a vegetarian dish and dim sum, and the checkout was less than 100 yuan, which deeply moved Zhang Xiaocheng and brought their hearts closer.
However, the road to love is not all smooth sailing. In 2012, just when Wu Minxia finally realized her dream of a Grand Slam, she said to Zhang Xiaocheng: "Can you wait for me for another 4 years, I want to go to the Olympics again." "
In the face of his beloved's request, Zhang Xiaocheng agreed without hesitation, he understood Wu Minxia's love and pursuit of diving, and also knew that true love needs mutual understanding and support.
In the next four years, Zhang Xiaocheng has always been Wu Minxia's strongest backing. He silently accompanies her, shares her joys, sorrows, and sorrows, supports her every decision, and ignores the doubts and incomprehensions of the outside world.
Zhang Xiaocheng has silently guarded Wu Minxia for eight years, accompanying her through the setbacks and glory of growing up, this seemingly ordinary love is full of patience and sweetness.
This love, which has gone through eight years of ups and downs, not only interprets the sincere feelings of the two, but also reflects the respect and support of the two young people for each other's dreams.
Rio 2016 was a huge challenge for the 31-year-old. However, she proved that she was the best, successfully defended the 3-meter springboard championship, stood at the peak of her career, and she threw off the hat of "the second oldest in 10,000 years" and became a well-deserved "diving queen".
However, just as Wu Minxia was immersed in the joy of victory, she was also faced with an important life decision. At that time, Guo Jingjing, a friend who had married into a wealthy family, kindly matched her and wanted to introduce the Huo family's brother-in-law to her.
Guo Jingjing said: "Qigang's younger brother is still single, do you want to think about it?" This was undoubtedly a great opportunity to enter the big club, but Wu Minxia did not hesitate to refuse.
In the face of doubts and incomprehension from the outside world, Wu Minxia has always adhered to her original intention. She understands that although she is a World Champion, deep down she is still the one who has risen from the mud. Compared with choosing a gorgeous and wealthy life on the surface, she is more willing to spend the rest of her life with Zhang Xiaocheng, who understands and supports her.
This decision caused a lot of shock at the time, and many people did not understand why Wu Minxia, who had already achieved fame, chose an ordinary announcer instead of enjoying a luxurious life in a wealthy family.
However, Wu Minxia's eyes shone with determination, and she knew that true happiness did not come from the external aura, but from the inner satisfaction and understanding.
Zhang Xiaocheng's fighting spirit and tenacity are very similar to Wu Minxia, they both come from ordinary families, they both understand the importance of hard work, and they can better understand each other's difficulties.
This soul resonance is more precious than material possessions.
In that case, Wu Minxia chose Zhang Xiaocheng without hesitation, and her choice was to interpret the true meaning of "marrying love". This decision not only changed the course of her life, but also showed the world the true heart of an Olympic champion.
Wu Minxia's choice subverts people's stereotypes of star athletes, proving that even at the pinnacle of her career, you can pursue ordinary and sincere love. This courage and determination is perhaps even more admirable than her performance on the Circle.
Although Wu Minxia's life after marriage seems ordinary, it is as sweet as honey. Their home does not have a luxurious villa, but just an ordinary Shanghai flat. The whole living room is decorated in a simple and unpretentious style, with no expensive artwork, just a set of solid wood furniture and a rectangular wooden coffee table.
The open-plan dining room is designed in a Chinese style, with angular furniture that exudes a sense of warmth.
Although the kitchen space is a little cramped, the use of U-shaped worktops and storage cabinets on the whole wall still reflects the wisdom of life. On the left, the designers have built a wall-length top cabinet with a built-in steam oven, and on the right is a U-shaped worktop.
Although the layout is reasonable, due to the limited space, it can only accommodate 2 people at the same time, which seems more crowdedIn the bedroom, the combination of creamy white pattern wallpaper and solid wood flooring creates a comfortable and peaceful atmosphere.
For others, such a home may be too modest, lacking luxurious décor and high-end furnishings. But for Wu Minxia and Zhang Xiaocheng, this is their warm family, full of love and warmth.
Every piece of furniture and every decoration here embodies their common efforts and yearning for a better life.
After marriage, Zhang Xiaocheng interpreted the definition of "good man" with practical actions. In order to support his wife Wu Minxia's career, he resolutely quit his stable job and followed his wife to Shanghai.
When Wu Minxia wanted to try short video creation and popularize diving knowledge, 34-year-old Zhang Xiaocheng did not hesitate to teach himself shooting and editing techniques and became her exclusive cameraman.
Husband Zhang Xiaocheng publicly expressed his deep love for his wife Wu Minxia on social platforms. He frequently released photos and videos of Wu Minxia, and every word was full of praise and love for Wu Minxia, announcing to the world: Wu Minxia is his world.
This pure love and support allows Wu Minxia to maintain her brilliance in her life after retirement.
Although life is simple, Wu Minxia always has a happy smile on her face. She deeply understands that true happiness does not lie in the outer glamour, but in the inner satisfaction and the feeling of being loved.
This hard-won happiness made her cherish the life in front of her even more, and also gave her the motivation to continue to pursue her dreams.
On February 7, 2024, Wu Minxia posted a family photo on social platforms, revealing the good news that she was happy to have a second child. Wu Minxia expressed her happiness and joy in simple words, she wrote: "There should be 4 people, but there are 4 people, everything is 'good'".
In the photo, Wu Minxia and Zhang Xiaocheng's faces are filled with happy smiles, and their family has changed from a family of three to a warm family of four.
Wu Minxia is full of emotion about her life journey. From the pinnacle of sports to ordinary family life, she has experienced too many ups and downs. These experiences have shaped her character today – confident, strong, and sober.
Wu Minxia's life story tells us that the value of life does not depend on the judgment of the outside world, but on one's own choice and persistence. She used her actions to prove that true happiness does not need to be wealthy, nor does it need luxury, but only two hearts that understand and support each other.
In this complicated world, the love story of Wu Minxia and Zhang Xiaocheng is undoubtedly a clear stream. It tells us that as long as there is love in our hearts, ordinary life can also bloom with brilliant brilliance.
Wu Minxia's life choice shows her attitude towards life - sober and firm, ordinary but not mediocre.