Published on : 02/08/2024
The Paris Olympics are in full swing. Apart from the popular athletes such as Quan Hongchan and Sun Yingsha, many Gen Z athletes from Team China have also made a name for themselves in this year's Olympics, winning gold medals and achieving great results, which have become the talk of the town.
Where are the hometowns of these Gen Z Olympic champions and what are the must-see sceneries?
Paris Olympics｜Sheng Lihao: Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu
Sheng Lihao, who won the gold medal in the Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle and the Men's 10m Air Rifle Final, is from Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province.
In Zhangjiagang, there is a famous place for appreciating plum blossoms, called Fragrant Hills (香山), which is a National 4A Scenic Area.
Around mid-February each year, more than thousands of plum trees bloom on the top of Fragrant Hills, covering an area of over 20 hectares, equivalent to the size of Victoria Park, with a spectacular sight.
As various kinds of plum blossoms enter the flowering period one after another, different sceneries are presented, with buds waiting to bloom or fragrant blossoms, and the view is full of spring colors.
During the blooming period of the plum blossoms, the annual "Fragrant Hills Plum Blossom Festival" in Zhangjiagang is also held, attracting thousands of tourists to visit here.
Paris Olympics｜Sun Yingsha: Shijiazhuang, Hebei
In this year's Olympic Games, the world's "No.1" female ping-pong player, Sun Yingsha, has won the gold medal in mixed doubles table tennis, whose hometown is Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province.
In Shijiazhuang, there is an over 1,600-year-old historic town - Zhengding Ancient Town (正定古城), which was historically known as one of the "three strongholds of the north" (北方三雄鎮) along with Baoding and Beijing.
The long history has left a wealth of precious and unique cultural relics in Zhengding Ancient Town.
For example, the Longxing Temple, which was built in the Sui Dynasty, was expanded by the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty and was known as the "first famous temple outside Beijing".
Besides, there is the Longzang Temple Stele, one of the famous ancient steles in China, and the Lingxiao Tower of Tianning Temple, which is known as the top wooden tower in China.
Paris Olympics｜Pan Zhanle: Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Rising swimming star Pan Zhanle recently won gold in the men's 100m freestyle final, breaking his own world record again. His hometown is in Wenzhou, Zhejiang.
One of the most famous attractions in Wenzhou is definitely the Baizhangji Waterfall (百丈漈).
The Baizhangji Waterfall is located in Wencheng County, Wenzhou City. The three-tier waterfall rushes down from the top of the mountain stream, with a height difference of over 300 meters. It is very spectacular and used to be the tallest waterfall in China.
Among them, the most spectacular is the first waterfall, with a height difference of 207 meters.
Under the waterfall, there are pavilions, corridors, arch bridges and other buildings, which are enveloped in a hazy water mist, creating a natural martial arts atmosphere.
Read more: Following Chinese drama to explore the beautiful landscape of Zhejiang
Paris Olympics｜Quan Hongchan: Zhanjiang, Guangdong
The prodigy Quan Hongchan continues her gold-winning journey in this Olympics. She and Chen Yuxi have won the women's 10-meter synchronized diving final, and her hometown is in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, which is not far away from Hong Kong.
The Huguangyan Scenic Area (湖光岩風景區) covers an area of 3,800 hectares and has a variety of geological sites such as Maar volcano geological landscape, coastal features, and structural geology, which is dubbed as a "natural yearbook" by UN geological experts.
Among them, the Maar Lake in Huguangyan is one of the most well-preserved volcanic lakes in China and even the world.
Viewed from above, the Maar Lake is heart-shaped, and its lake water is clear and green. It is like a sapphire lying on the earth, magnificent and beautiful under the contrast of the blue sky and white clouds.