Chinese karate star Gong Li is charging into the 2025 Chengdu World Games with the energy of a TikTok dance trend and the focus of a meditation app 🧘♀️. The 25-year-old Olympic bronze medalist sat down with CGTN Sports Scene to share her rollercoaster journey from career-threatening injury to championship redemption.
From Tokyo Bronze to Chengdu Dreams
Gong first smashed into the spotlight at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, claiming bronze in women's 61kg karate. Since then, she's been stacking wins like K-pop albums 💿 – grabbing world championship gold in Budapest (2023) and Asian Games glory in Hangzhou the same year.
The Injury That Tested Her Warrior Spirit
2024 brought a brutal plot twist: Gong tore her ACL during the Asian Karate Championships – while winning the title! 🩹 'I felt like my knee betrayed me during my victory lap,' she joked. But true to her 'never back down' attitude, Gong bounced back from surgery faster than a viral meme.
Karate = Life Philosophy
'This sport isn't just about kicks and punches,' Gong told reporters. 'It's about showing up with your whole heart 💥. When I step onto that mat, I'm not fighting opponents – I'm battling my own limits.'
Though karate's currently off the Olympic roster, Gong remains its ultimate hype woman: 'Every roundhouse kick I throw is a love letter to this sport. The Olympics will come knocking again – I feel it in my katas!'
Catch Gong and other global athletes at the Chengdu World Games starting Thursday! 🎌 Who needs superhero movies when we've got real-life warriors?
