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In part 1 of this series with Olympic Champion Lily Xu titled: A sailor’s heartbeat, Lily shared with us brought us with her to take a deep dive into the highs and lows of her incredible career. Reflecting on her passion for sailing, and the ‘freedom and romance’ that this sport gave and still continues to give her, she explained to us how sailing and sport became a way for her to escape her limitations on land, such as her hearing and visibility impairments, and the grueling experience of training as a part of China’s national sailing team from just the tender age of 10.

She emphasized to us the importance of loving what we do, and how the absence of them can really show us how much we truly cherish their presence in our lives, as opposed to taking it for granted. Lily also shared insights on the mental strategies she employed to handle high-pressure situations, such as imagining herself as an actress performing on a global stage. This mindset helped her maintain composure during significant races, like the medal race at the London 2012 Olympics, where she would go on to capture the gold medal as well.

Nonetheless, when faced with the task of making history, Lily is still faced with the many challenges and sacrifices she has had to make. She acknowledges the pressure of wanting to achieve that best that she can, and the guilt that haunts her when she is unable to give back to her parents, coaches and supporters.

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, and the possibility of Asia’s first ever dinghy olympic sailing gold in her hands, how did she combat those incredible mental and emotional pressures and ultimately, rise to the top?

Join us in this episode as we set sail into her incredible journey, and find out what truly lies behind the heart and mind of Olympic Champion, pioneer, and international sensation - Xu Lijia.