Competing in the Olympics is one of the most significant milestones for an athlete.
However, for China figure skater Zhu Yi, her Winter Olympics debut quickly became an unpleasant experience when she started receiving backlash for her performance.
The 19-year-old fell in two of her jumps and finished with the lowest score in the event. She faced harsh criticism for her mistakes, and soon after, Weibo netizens started singling out the fact that she was US-born.
Thankfully, many also jumped to her defence, believing that she was not at fault.
According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), Zhu Yi tumbled and fell after failing to complete the opening combination of her routine.
Later in the programme, she missed another jump and fell.
She eventually finished last in the Beijing 2022 women’s short programme team event, and China fell from 3rd to 5th in the team standings.
Thankfully, they could still progress to the next stage of the competition.
After the disappointing performance, Zhu Yi was in tears, saying she was upset and embarrassed by the incident and felt pressured to meet China’s expectations.
Although she was initially greeted with loud cheers at the Capital Indoor Stadium, her performance propelled her to the centre of controversy.
According to CNN, the hashtag “Zhu Yi has fallen” garnered 200 million views on Weibo in a few hours.
Additionally, many criticised the fact that Zhu Yi, who was born in the US, was picked to represent China over someone who was born in the country.
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Some even questioned if she earned her spot on the team because of her privileged background. Her father, Zhu Songchun, is an award-winning scientist.
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Nonetheless, many netizens were quick to jump to her defence and point out that the harsh reactions were unwarranted.
Some were disappointed in how cruel people were towards Zhu Yi and urged people to show compassion.
This Facebook user emphasised that making it to the Olympics is already an achievement and that she has already proven herself.
Others also reminded people that she is still human and her feelings should be considered.
Olympic athletes representing their respective nations are often perceived as symbols of pride.
While it is good to take pride in their achievements, it is important to remember the human behind the athlete who has trained for years to reach the global stage.
So instead of demeaning athletes for making mistakes or cracking under pressure, let’s all show compassion and cheer them on, whatever the results may be.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.
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