FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHummshowcasedhisskillsamidstbreathtakingsceneryalongChina'sYellowRiverduringahigh-stakescompetition,emphasizingthesport'sabilitytoinspirebalance,perseverance,andcross-culturalconnections.
FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHummcompetesaboveChina'sYellowRiver,inHejinCity,ShanxiProvince,onApril20,2024.(Xinhua/XieYuan)
TAIYUAN,China,April24(Xinhua)--FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHumm,withhisgoldenhairflutteringinthebreeze,concentratedintenselyashebalancedona2.5cm-wideband,suspended170metersabovetheground.ThisdramaticsceneunfoldedaboveChina's"MotherRiver,"theYellowRiver,inHejincity,ShanxiProvince,duringahigh-profileslacklinecompetition.Despitethestunningbackdrop,Hummhadlittleopportunitytosavortheview.
Slacklining,anextremesportthatsynthesizeselementsofrockclimbing,parkour,andgymnastics,requiresathletestomaintaintheirbalanceonanarrow,elevatedband,competingineitherspeedorskill-basedmaneuvers.
Atthisevent,Hummwaspittedagainsthislong-timerival,ShiHailinfromChina,whoholdstheGuinnessWorldRecordforthefastest100mslacklinewalk.Bothcompetitors,donningidenticaloutfitsdowntotheirsunglassesandheadbandsasamutualtribute,preparedforthechallenge.Humm'srightfootwasnotablybandaged,arecentinjurythatunderscoredthedemandingnatureoftheirsport.
FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHumm(2nd,R)posesonApril20,2024.
Despitethissetback,Humm,whoclinchedhisfirstgoldmedalamonthagoattheWorldIndoorChampionshipsinGlasgow,advancedtothetopfouramong20competitorsfromChina,Germany,Spain,andothercountries.Thecompetitorsweretaskedwithwalking50metersonaslacklineataheightcomparabletohalfthatoftheEiffelTower.
Aftertworigorousrounds,Hummdidnotsecureavictory.Reflectingonthecompetition,heremarked,"I'mreallyhappytoseethat.It'sapositivecompetitionbecausewepulleachotherup,"acknowledgingtheelevatedlevelofcompetitionsincehispeakin2019.
Humm'stiestoChina,wherehehascompetedmultipletimes,rundeep.Hedescribedthecountryashis"blessedland,"particularlyrecallinghis2019victoryinZhangjiajie,whichmarkedhisascendancyinthesport.ThisvictoryalsohelpedtoigniteapassionforslackliningamongmanyyoungChinese,includingHeJinyi,whooutperformedHumminthepreliminaryroundandciteshimasamajorinfluence.
SlacklininghasnotonlybecomeapopularsportinChina,attractingtouriststoitssceniccompetitions,butithasalsobeenembracedasabroadlyaccessibleactivity.
"Thissporthelpspeopletobalance,tostaycalm,andtorecoverfrominjury.SoIthinkeverybodycandoit,notonlythechildren,butalsotheelderly,"saidHumm,whohopedtoinspiremorepeoplethroughhisstoryandperformancetopursuebiggerdreams.
FanstakephotosduringaslacklinecompetitionaboveChina'sYellowRiver,inHejinCity,ShanxiProvince,onApril20,2024.(Xinhua/XieYuan)
"Allyouneedisaribbonandtwofixingpoints,andyou'rereadytopractice,"saidShi,addingthatinuniversities,parks,andoutdoorsinmanybigcities,moreandmoreyoungpeople,evenasyoungassix,havebeguntopractise.
Thisyearmarksthe60thanniversaryoftheestablishmentofdiplomatictiesbetweenChinaandFrance,andtheOlympicGameswillbeheldinParis.
HummsaidthatChinaandFrancehavemanysimilarities,suchasrichfood,diverselandscapes,andsoon.Hehopesthroughsports,thetwopeoplescanenhancetheirunderstandingofeachother,andpersonallyvisiteachother'scountrytoexploremorehiddenbeauty.
"TheYellowRiveristhemotherriverofChina,andithasspecialmeaningandpowerfortheChinesepeople.Holdingacompetitioninsuchaspecialplacecanconveytotheworldthespiritoftryinghardandnevergivingup,"saidHumm.
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