I started learning to swim when I was 6 years old. At first, I didn't really learn it — I only knew the movements but hadn't mastered treading water in the deep end. For years, my father was disappointed in me. If I couldn't swim well, he would make me kneel in the bathroom. But I didn't learn because he made me kneel. I learned it by myself, playing in the swimming pool. I discovered that in the deep end, as long as you can touch the bottom, you can push off to the surface to breathe. Once I broke through that mental barrier, I could do any stroke. Swimming is like riding a bicycle — it's all about the mental barrier.

My best time for 50 meters is 27 seconds. I never learned formal diving or flip turns, but my freestyle is strong. I worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor, and I believe swimming is an essential skill that everyone should learn — it can literally save your life. Swimming has countless benefits for fitness. The only two downsides I see are the chlorine in pools and the risk of ear infections. Other than that, there's nothing bad about it. I've decided to swim more for fitness when I'm at Purdue.

If my parents had let me choose my career freely, I might have wanted to become a basketball coach. I think the point guard — the brain of a team sport — might be the best job in the world. If you perform well, you get paid, earn achievements, and see immediate results. Plus, the brotherhood among teammates and the mutual respect between opponents are the most wonderful feelings. Unfortunately, this culture wasn't valued much in China when I was growing up.

I'm 178 cm tall with a standing reach of 226 cm — not tall, with small and short hands. But I can touch the rim. I was born with a love for jumping. I also have a dream of dunking, though I think it'll be hard to achieve because my knees sometimes have minor issues. My ball handling isn't great, and my confidence isn't either, but I have some self-created moves: little floaters, little hooks, and my three-pointer. On defense, I'm extremely active. Because I've trained for marathons, my stamina is unbeatable. Many people can't run on the court — that basically never happens to me.

I hope to join an amateur league at Purdue and play some good, fun basketball.

My favorite team is the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I also went to watch the 2026 March Madness in person in Oklahoma City. Here's a video from the game: Watch on YouTube

I've always enjoyed running growing up and participated in many competitions. My best 100-meter time was 12.3 seconds when I was 18. I didn't formally record my 200m or 400m times. I started marathon running after being diagnosed with fatty liver and wanting to lose weight. I was also inspired by the anime Run with the Wind. I completed my first marathon in 2024 without any preparation. You can view my records here:
2024 Marathon
2025 Marathon
Find me on Strava: https://strava.app.link/yktpd1EGUTb

Running gives me both mental and physical strength. It gives me time to reflect on life, push my limits, and work toward becoming a better version of myself.

I was also a collegiate athlete at AHNU when I was 18. In Chinese college sports, there are three groups: A (general students), B (professional athletes), and C (elite athletes). I was in Group A and represented AHNU at the provincial games. I placed 8th in pole vaulting with a jump of 2.9 meters. Interestingly, I originally trained for the 800m and 1500m events, but the coach realized I wouldn't score points there. So they switched me to pole vaulting — and after just 3 months of training, I managed to score. I was almost cut from the team before that.

I practiced taekwondo growing up. After coming to the U.S., I picked up MMA because I wanted to become stronger and tougher. But as I've grown older, I've started prioritizing my health and safety, so I stopped MMA and now focus solely on running. Here's a sparring video from 2021 with a professional MMA fighter:

I was very lucky to join UNL's varsity League of Legends team in 2024. We competed in the CCL and won the Fall 2024 Championship.

Yes, I'm addicted to video games, and I've spent a lot of time reflecting on that. My peak rank was Master 450 LP, but I've since retired because I realized this game wouldn't contribute to my future path.

That said, I learned a tremendous amount from League. It taught me how to be an effective team player in a Western team environment, and I truly cherish the time spent with my teammates. Although esports may not be as physically demanding as traditional sports, the mental intensity is just as high—if not higher.

I believe that someone who can do one thing well, if they put in the same energy, focus, and passion, can do anything well. The most important thing is finding that thing and persisting until success.

The program was scholarship-sponsored, but since I already had an assistantship, I didn't receive any financial benefit. Here's the video of our victory: