Wenzhou athletes Wen Zaiding and Huang Jingye recently qualified for the Paris Olympics in sailing and windsurfing, respectively. This is the first time Wenzhou athletes will be represented in these categories at the Olympics.
Wen, the sailing champion at the Hangzhou Asian Games, and Huang, the men's hydrofoil windsurfing champion at the National Windsurfing Championships, both hail from Cangnan. Their selection to compete in the global event is a significant achievement in Wenzhou's sporting history.
At the Asian Sailing Championships, Wen secured his Olympic spot by winning the men's 49er skiff event with teammate Liu Tian. Born by the sea, Wen developed a deep passion for the ocean and sailing from a young age. At age 11, he joined the Zhejiang Provincial Sailing and Windsurfing Team, leading to his Asian Games triumph.
Huang's journey to the Olympics was marked by a victory in the youth hydrofoil windsurfing category at the National Windsurfing Championships in 2023. His subsequent wins in obstacle slalom, long-distance, and course racing events at the 2023 championships solidified his Olympic qualification.
Wenzhou's rich water sports tradition dates back to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, with Zheng Kaiping being the first Wenzhou sailor to compete. After a hiatus since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Wen and Huang’s qualifications have restored the city’s presence in the Olympic sailing and windsurfing events.
