Shang Chunsong: I Will Be Back

Shang Chunsong's near perfect beam routine would then earn her a 14.833, which put her in fourth place overall
(Photo @ CCTV)

Just as 2012 London Olympics all-around fourth place finisher Aly Raisman had her redemption moment by finally winning her Olympic all-around medal, this year's fourth place finisher Shang Chunsong was left devastated at her 0.116 gap from a medal. When the final standings came out, Shang Chunsong was in tears.

In the competition, Shang Chunsong delivered a spectacular performance, hitting her beam and floor routines extremely well to earn relatively conservative execution scores of 8.443 and 8.2 respectively. "I was very pleased with my performances on all apparatus today.....There were some other factors that hindered me from getting a medal. I was quite disappointed", Shang told TVB. She gave a balanced view of her fourth place finish, later by humbly telling China News Service that "Perhaps I was not perfect enough."

At her age, Shang could have been a two-time Olympian, but she vowed to go for Tokyo 2020 to get her redemption
(Photo @ Bless the Blooming Flowers of Chinese Gymnastics)

Shang Chunsong's Rio Olympic journey had been a tough one. As a 20 year old, she did not peak early enough to join the 2012 London squad. Coming up to Rio, Shang suffered from fever during the podium training and was in tears as she failed to do a complete routine. Shang also faced immense pressure on social media as her family was accused of exploiting her income. Also recently, her blind elder brother's massage place closed down. To a young woman who loves her family more than anything, it was even more painful than the injuries she faced.

Shang Chunsong is definitely unsatisfied with a fourth place. "I will keep going till the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.", Shang declared. We hope that in the 2020 Olympic all-around finals, like Aly Raisman, Shang will shed tears of joy.


Written by Valerie Theodora Ko


Sources: China News Service