Latest news with #LiuXiajun
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
‘Sweet girl' China top sprinter admitted to renowned university despite low exam score
A top young athlete in China has been admitted to the prestigious Peking University, earning her admiration for her ability to balance academic studies and sport. Liu Xiajun, a 20-year-old sprint athlete from China's national team, has been dubbed 'track and field sweet sister' for her good looks. She has spent most of her time training since she achieved a record result in the 100m in her hometown of Ziyang, southwestern Sichuan province in 2018, reported the mainland news outlet The Cover. Liu Xiajun's score in the national college entrance examination was lower than that of elite, non-sporting students. Photo: As a result of her time spent on sport, like other athletes, Liu's academic scores lag far behind those of elite students. Last year, Liu was offered a place at Fudan University in Shanghai, also a top school in China. But she declined without explaining why. Following discussions with her family, Liu decided to study for another year to prepare for this year's national college entrance exam, also known as 'gaokao' in China. Her goal is to be admitted to Peking University, which is ranked higher than Fudan University, as a student with special sporting talent. To achieve this, Liu had to score at least 460 out of 750 in the exam.
South China Morning Post
28-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Chinese sprinter gets leading gaokao marks on second go, earning a shot at top universities
A Chinese track and field sprinter has scored a staggering 462 in the national college entrance exam, or gaokao, earning her a place in the country's top universities. Advertisement Liu Xiajun, 19, took the gaokao for the second time earlier this month after her score last summer fell short of admission to the country's best school, Tsinghua University in Beijing. Liu, who is from the city of Ziyang in southwest China's Sichuan province, rejected an offer from the prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai in 2024, considered China's second best, to chase a spot at the institution in Beijing. 'I was very surprised [when I got my results] and asked my teacher: 'Is there a mistake in the results?',' Liu said. 'I believe that the most important factor in achieving such results before entering formal education is perseverance. Liu Xiajun won gold and silver medals at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in 2023. Photo: 'Despite the immense pressure of resitting the exam, you cannot think about giving up.
