Wang Xueer

What does it take to revolutionize competitive swimming? For Wang Xueer, it began with an unwavering belief in perseverance. Born on 1998-01-15 in Anqing, Anhui, China, she entered the water in second grade and by 2009 had secured a youth title in Anhui before training at Zhongshan Sports School. Years later she emerged on the international stage, joining the Chinese national team and competing in the 100 m backstroke at the 2016 Rio Olympics, reaching the semifinals. It was during this decade that she claimed a bronze in the 100 m backstroke at the 2014 Asian Games and later at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou took gold in the 50 m backstroke and silver in the 100 m backstroke in 2023. Against the backdrop of elite predecessors and contemporaries-such as Fu Yuanhui-she carved her niche by fine-tuning her backstroke, ultimately contributing to a bronze medal in the women's 4×100 m medley relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Along the way she balanced academic study in sports science at South China Normal University with the rigours of national competition. In a sport where access to elite coaching and facilities can be limiting, she helped spotlight regional training programmes in Guangdong and Anhui-democratizing the idea that provincial talent could reach the global stage. She overcame the internal pressure of early elimination and the external weight of national expectation to persist with grace. In retrospect, Wang Xueer's career was a masterclass in perseverance, forever altering our understanding of competitive backstroke swimming.