Wang Yaqing watches the live broadcast of Wang Chunyu's 800-meter final at the Tokyo Olympics on Aug 3 with her father and coach. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

Wang Yaqing, an elementary school student in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, set a new 1,500m record in the junior high school girls category with her timing of 4 minutes and 58 seconds at the recent 2021 Zhejiang Teenager Track and Field Championships.

The timing also places Wang among national second-class athletes.

Wang started running in primary school to improve her poor health. Through years of training, she has gone from being the slowest person in the class to the fastest in the school, in the city, and even the province among those of her age group.

She said that Wang Chunyu, the athlete who made history by becoming the first Chinese in history to compete in an Olympic 800-meter final at the Tokyo Olympics with a personal best 1:57.00 to finish fifth in the race, is her idol and that she too dreams of participating in the Olympics on behalf of China.

On Aug 5, Wang departed for Taiyuan, Shanxi province, to undergo professional training with the Zhejiang track and field team.

Wang undergoes training at the Zhoushan Teenager Sports School. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

Wang crosses the finishing line with her father at a cross-country race in Zhoushan on Jan 2. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

Wang poses for a picture with her medals. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]