Young boxer Meng Feixue breaks her barriers

XINING, China, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The distance from Meng Feixue's hometown to the Duoba National Plateau Sports Training Base is about 1,600 kilometers, and she is always on her way to pursuing her boxing dream.

The 20-year-old Meng from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is one of just a few female boxers in the Qinghai boxing team.

Meng became interested in Kung Fu when she was young, and was sent by her parents to a martial arts school at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province. Gradually, Meng has come to know and love boxing, and was included in the Qinghai boxing team last year.

Meng was the runner-up in the 48-kg category in the Qinghai First Boxing Championships.

It is the first time she couldn't be accompanied by her parents. "Undoubtedly I miss my family. I have a 7-day holiday, but I waste four or five days on the road," she said.

Chinese New Year is considered to be the most important event for all Chinese, allowing people to travel across the country to reunite with their families.

"Under the suggestion of my coach, my teammate invited me to her home and I received a very warm welcome," Meng said.

"However, their happiness reminded me of my parents in Guangxi. On the phone, my mom was quite sad when she called me, which also brought a lump to my throat."

Meng has made great progress in training, and she attributed her improvement to her coach and the training base. The challenging altitude is beneficial for athletes. Sitting at 2,388m above sea level, the Duoba National Plateau Sports Training Base is located in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, 22 kilometers west of Xining. It is the highest and largest training base in China as well as in Asia.

According to the expert, the hypoxia environment triggers the increase of human red blood cells and the strength of cardiopulmonary function, leading to the improvement of athletic ability. It is an added advantage for endurance sports athletes.

"The training is tough, but the more I pay, the more I get. I am seizing every opportunity here; I hope I can continue to exceed myself." Enditem