Passion, pride and pain build character

Limited resources

Initially, Zhang had no proper training partners or places to practice, while his hometown lacked professional guidance and other resources. However, after about a month, he discovered a parkour group in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi, and joined it.

"The people around me had no idea how to practice parkour, so to continue my studies I had to take a train to Taiyuan every Friday and practice with the group at the weekend. I gradually discovered that I was quite talented and after training for about two months I surpassed all my peers," he said.

Initially, his parents did not oppose his interest. They thought the sport would at least help to cure his addiction to online games and improve his health, but after Zhang started getting injured they began to express concerns about his safety.

"I was quite stubborn, and I cared little about what my parents said. They knew I had a hard time finding something I was really interested in, so they kept their concerns to themselves and never stopped me taking part in the sport. I now realize that my biggest sporting resource is the support of my parents," Zhang said.

Liang Wenqing, 36, is a professional bicycle motocross rider and also coach of the Beijing Freestyle BMX team. Before taking up the sport, he had no interest in the things his peers enjoyed, such as basketball, soccer, toys or video games, which made his parents very concerned.

Then, in 1995, he watched a BMX competition on television and fell in love with the sport. He saved more than 1,600 yuan from lunch money, pocket money and gift money from his parents and relatives and bought his first bike in 1999. His BMX life really started then.

There were no professional BMX facilities for Liang to use, so almost every weekend for two years he rode many kilometers to meet friends in parks and practice.

"I just wanted to enjoy BMX and didn't want to take a career path. We were one of the earliest groups of BMX enthusiasts in China, so there was no one to guide us－we just had some magazines about BMX and a worn videotape about the sport. Today, riders can get systematic training materials online or receive professional training and purchase professional protective items for their head, knees and elbows," Liang said.

Dedication

Some of Liang's friends have quit BMX, having just wanted to experience it for a while and then return to other pursuits. He has never thought about giving up, though, and he keeps publicizing the sport as his passion and devotion push him to continue riding.

"My family has been concerned about my career development and my future. They think the sport will never bring me promotion, a good reputation and a stable life. But I will never quit. Every time I perfect a new move I feel real satisfaction," he said.

Despite his coaching duties, he squeezes in time to practice at least three days a week. He believes the challenge of the sport is endless, because even a world champion cannot claim to be the best and other riders always have the chance to set new records.

Li Wenjin, a professional skateboarder from Beijing, took up the sport in 2001. Two years later he gained sponsorship, so he quit his job in the information technology industry and focused on the skateboard, running an online shop and working in a skateboard store.

For the first few years, he felt confused about his prospects as a professional because China's skateboard scene was in its infancy.

"I tried many times to persuade myself to give up my dream of becoming a professional skateboarder, but my perseverance and love of the sport always overcame the difficulties and pushed me to carry on," he said.

Skateboarding has changed Li's attitude to life, providing the passion and willpower to face difficulties. As an indispensable part of his life, he is stepping up efforts to promote the skateboard culture.