Liu Jiayu, a PhD student at Harbin Institute of Technology, is very busy managing various aspects of her projects, taking a hands-on approach to everything and coordinating all related aspects. “Because I was preparing for the National Winter Games, this project was put on hold for two years and only resumed this summer.”Applying the knowledge she gained in her PhD studies at the School of Aerospace Engineering at Harbin Institute of Technology to enhance athletes’ training levels and reduce sports injuries is currently Liu Jiayu’s top priority, as a former world champion in snowboarding.
Three Major SurgeriesDid Not Stop Her from Competing in Four Winter Olympics
“The project I am currently working on is to protect snowboarders from injuries during training. Having suffered several serious injuries as an athlete, I know how much injuries can affect an athlete’s performance.” Reflecting on her time as an athlete, Liu Jiayu recalls vividly. Three major surgeries that nearly ended her career almost forced this once-called “genius girl” in women’s halfpipe snowboarding to retire early.
Heaven granted her unparalleled talent, yet injuries repeatedly tugged at her heart. Fortunately, Liu Jiayu’s love for snowboarding is strong enough to bring her back from the brink of retirement time and again.
Liu Jiayu’s name often evokes the label of “young prodigy.” In 2003, at the age of 11, she transitioned from martial arts to snowboarding, becoming one of China’s first generation of halfpipe snowboarders. Without training materials, she relied on her coach to imitate training from foreign videos, training for five hours a day in the mountains, practicing hundreds of times in winds that could reach level 5… Although the early years were tough, this tomboyish girl achieved remarkable success in just five years of snowboarding training.In the 2007-2008 season, she won two World Cup championships; in 2009, at the age of 17, Liu Jiayu claimed victory at the World Championships, ranking first in the world.Just as everyone believed Liu Jiayu was about to embark on her era in snowboarding, fate played a cruel joke on her. Three major surgeries nearly ended her career at its peak, but this stubborn girl persevered through four Winter Olympics, transforming from a novice into a veteran of the Winter Olympics.
Although injuries have brought Liu Jiayu unbearable pain, they have also endowed her with resilience that is hard to imagine. “To be honest, every year during training, I have thought about giving up due to injuries or psychological reasons. But just before I am about to give up, I can always convince myself to hold on a little longer; perhaps there will be a breakthrough,” Liu Jiayu said. Since becoming an athlete, she has set two principles for herself—focus not on medals but on breaking her own limits; and whatever she does, do it to the best of her ability, not to betray her passion. Thus, we see her on the training ground, being almost harsh on herself, and even when she is injured from head to toe, she confidently and smilingly returns to the competition. After winning a silver medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, she challenged herself again by developing a trick that even male athletes find difficult to execute, and at the age of 30, she firmly completed her competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
This should be what Liu Jiayu calls “original intention,”not to demand good results, but to dare to break through,and to seek the purest joy that snowboarding brings.More than a year after her retirement,she returned to the winter sports arena to fulfill her promise.
“For things I want to do and have promised, I will do my best to complete them. This applies to my PhD studies and returning to the competition.” Having tasted the flavor of being a world champion, experienced the excitement of standing on the podium, and felt the sense of achievement from challenging herself, in 2022, after 19 years in snowboarding, Liu Jiayu suddenly found it hard to see the meaning of continuing. Thus, after the Beijing Winter Olympics, she chose to step back from the competition.
Studying for a PhD is her promise to herself—after being an athlete for 20 years, it is time to fill the gap in her cultural education; competing in the National Winter Games is her promise to her late mentor, Liu Changfu. After more than a year away from the competition, Liu Jiayu made a comeback, winning a silver medal despite a back injury.Living up to her efforts and not disappointing others’ expectations, Liu Jiayu found the best balance between the two.On August 8, 2022, in the office of the Sports Bureau, Liu Jiayu controlled her emotions while expressing her desire to retire to the relevant officials. The pain from three surgeries, combined with a new back injury that limited her mobility, led Liu Jiayu to reluctantly choose retirement. She occasionally wiped away tears from her eyes, revealing her reluctance to part with snowboarding. “I hope to apply the knowledge I gained during my PhD studies to the training and injury prevention in ice and snow sports, continuing to contribute to the development of China’s ice and snow sports.” As she left the office of the bureau leaders, Liu Jiayu’s silhouette appeared somewhat lonely, as if she was beginning to sever ties with her past glory and starting a new life in a completely different way.
However, less than a year later, Liu Jiayu “broke her promise” again. The news that the National Winter Games will be held in 2024 prompted Liu Jiayu to return to competition. In August 2019, her mentor Liu Changfu passed away suddenly due to illness, which plunged Liu Jiayu into deep depression. “I promised him that I would appear as an athlete at the National Winter Games, but I didn’t expect that due to various reasons, the Games would be postponed from 2020 to 2024. But since I promised my coach, I must keep my word.” Overcoming the severe pain from a fractured back, Liu Jiayu returned to the training ground. Reflecting on that period, Liu Jiayu still feels a chill: “The pain made it difficult to even turn around, let alone perform various difficult moves.” Enduring unimaginable pain and the numbness below her waist, Liu Jiayu, accompanied by her parents, lay in her father’s car from her hometown of Hegang to the venue of the National Winter Games. Ultimately, she delivered an impressive performance in the first round of the finals and, against all odds, won a precious silver medal.At that moment, Liu Jiayu finally felt relieved: “Coach, I have fulfilled my promise to you, and I have no regrets.” Although she won a silver medal, Liu Jiayu paid a significant price. Even now, her back mobility remains limited.When it comes to keeping promises,Liu Jiayu has always been resolute,but she silently bears the costs of the process,even to the point of being reckless.Enjoying the Identity of a PhD StudentWith a Strong Desire to Be a Good Student
“My whole life has been about exploring my limits and seeking my own joy. I don’t know what the future holds, but I hope to find something that makes me happy. Maybe I won’t find it in the future; who knows? I still enjoy this process very much.” While busy with her work, Liu Jiayu chatted with reporters, her face radiating the same confident smile she had on the podium as the silver medalist at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
When I do something, I either don’t do it or do it to the best of my ability. Even though my identity has shifted from world champion to PhD student, Liu Jiayu still holds herself to strict, even harsh standards.
In 2022, after finishing her preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics, Liu Jiayu was given the opportunity to study at Harbin Institute of Technology, becoming a PhD student in the General Mechanics program at the School of Aerospace Engineering. “The General Mechanics program at Harbin Institute of Technology has remarkable achievements in aerospace, missiles, underwater vehicles, and other fields. I hope to combine this academic knowledge with human biomechanics to apply it in athlete training and injury prevention, developing better intelligent safety protection equipment to reduce the impact on athletes during training and competitions. Even if I can lower the possibility of injury to 20%, I would consider it a successful attempt,” Liu Jiayu said. Now, she is busy not only participating in her team’s research work but also coordinating various resources and efforts to help the project advance faster and better. “Although it is tiring, just thinking that this can benefit more athletes or help them avoid the troubles of injuries like I did gives me a great sense of accomplishment,” Liu Jiayu said. Her biggest wish at this stage is to do well in her project, study hard at Harbin Institute of Technology, and be a good student.
Regarding the upcoming Asian Winter Games in just over a hundred days, Liu Jiayu expressed her deep feelings for this event. She participated in the Asian Winter Games in 2007 and 2017, winning one gold and one bronze medal. “Although my back injury makes me uncertain if I can appear as an athlete at the Asian Winter Games, as an athlete from Harbin, I am very pleased that such a high-level international event can be held in Ice City, which has immeasurable significance for enhancing Harbin’s influence,” Liu Jiayu said. She is determined to contribute to the successful hosting of the event, letting the world know that Harbin is a beautiful “Ice City” and making everyone fall in love with this city.
After 21 years in snowboarding, Liu Jiayu has transformed from a tomboyish girl into a polite PhD student. She said that all experiences in life are a valuable asset, allowing you to see your inner self more clearly and strengthen your beliefs. “What people see is the change in my appearance, but what they cannot see is my unwavering pursuit of the pure love I have always aspired to.” Her love for snowboarding has kept her in the sport for 21 years; her thirst for knowledge has led her back to the ivory tower. As for the future, Liu Jiayu said everything feels too distant; for now, she just wants to live well in the present and achieve her small goals one by one.
“What I enjoy most is the process of pursuing happiness,
as for whether I can ultimately achieve it,
it is like the meaning of a gold medal to me,
if I have it, I accept it gladly; if not, I let it be.
In short, as long as I am happy, that is enough…” Liu Jiayu said.Source | Harbin 2025 9th Asian Winter Games
Editor | Qu Xining
Review | Yang Xuejiao
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