A place in university the next goal for Chinese athlete Chen Yujie, Asia’s fastest woman

Fresh from a dominant showing at the Asian Games, teenage track star Chen Yujie is balancing professional training for next year’s World Championships with preparations for the national college entrance examinations, setting her sights on a local university.

At the recently concluded 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, the 17-year-old bagged four medals before returning home to resume life as a high school senior. Chen won gold medals in the 100m and two relays, and a silver in the 200m.

Earlier this week, Chen returned to the track at Ningbo Sports School, completing her first post-Games training session under coach Wu Yacun.

Yet Chen has never compromised on her academic performance. Having maintained a daily commuter-training routine since taking up athletics, she views education and sport as mutually nourishing.