Zhangjiajie: "Now I really want some hotpot - something spicy," Shang Chunsong said with a relieved grin after winning the women's freestyle parkour gold at The World Games 2025 on Wednesday, completing her Grand Slam in the sport.
According to Namibia Press Agency, for Shang, the 29-year-old former captain of China's national women's gymnastics team, the medal was more than a title - it was closure. Shang had won numerous international gymnastics medals and even created a vault move named after herself, but Olympic and world championship gold had always eluded her.
Born in a remote mountain village in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, Shang was a spirited child who learned somersaults from her father. At six, a relative introduced her to gymnastics. Her first coach, Huang Wei, noted that she lacked natural talent: her knees protruded, her toes wouldn't straighten, and stretching brought her to tears. However, quitting was never an option for Shang. Her determination led her to the national team in 2010, where she achieved national and Asian titles by 2012. Despite her successes, a mistake at the 2013 World Championships cost her a gold medal, and at the 2016 Rio Olympics, she narrowly missed an individual medal.
Her competitive spirit was reignited in 2019 with a national title, but it was in 2022, while studying physical education at Central China Normal University, that she discovered parkour. The sport's creativity and freedom captivated her, and her gymnastics background quickly helped her master complex moves in parkour.
In less than three years, Shang has achieved a Grand Slam in parkour, winning the World Cup, World Championship, and World Games. Her achievements have made her a recognized figure in the freerunning community, although she still considers herself a beginner. Shang hopes her success will inspire more Chinese people to take up the sport and believes that parkour will eventually become an Olympic event.
For Shang, parkour is more than just a sport; it mirrors her journey through life. She continues to push through obstacles and challenges, finding freedom and happiness in her newfound passion.