Zheng Haohao stood at the edge of the concrete bowl, took a deep breath, and then dropped in.

What followed was pure flow, capped by a smooth 540-degree spin and a clean landing.

The crowd erupted.

"I'm thrilled, and honestly a little surprised by my own performance," said the 13-year-old after taking third place in the women's park final at the recent 2026 Asian Skateboarding Championships in Meishan, Sichuan province.

"I used to be afraid of the 540, because you have to rotate in the air. I'm glad that I finally found the courage to get past it."

Zheng's passion for skateboarding began six years ago, when she received a board as a birthday gift from her mother at age seven.

At nine, the skater from Huizhou, Guangdong province, competed in the women's park event at the 2021 National Games.

Her career highlight came at age 11, when she represented China at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Zheng was the youngest athlete across all sports at the Paris Games, and the youngest-ever Chinese Olympian.

Thanks to pioneers like Zheng, since the sport's first inclusion at the Tokyo Olympics, skateboarding has gained increased popularity among a new generation and seen a pool of budding talent emerge.

An example and idol

Despite being labeled a prodigy by many, Zheng said her journey has been anything but easy.

There were tough days, she admitted, when she would cry after practice because she just couldn't land her tricks.

"Talent alone isn't enough," she said. "What really matters is who works harder, plays smarter and loves the sport more."

Zheng said she skates out of love, not obligation.

"As long as you stay passionate, no matter how many times you fail, you'll always believe that, maybe, the next one will land. You just have to keep trying," she said.

For her, the appeal of skateboarding lies in the thrill of pushing her own limits.

"That sense of freedom when you're in the air — you can't get it anywhere else," she said.

Zheng also loves the social aspect of skateboarding. The sport, born on the streets, has helped her build friendships with skaters from around the world.

"We may be rivals on the course," she said, "but off it, skateboarding brings us together as friends."

When she first picked up her board, Zheng was often the only girl at the skatepark. However, the once male-dominated sport, she noticed, is now attracting an ever-increasing number of girls. In fact, many have given the sport a try after seeing Zheng compete in Paris.

"I'm really happy to do my little bit for Chinese skateboarding. It gives me a sense of pride to inspire more kids, especially girls, to pick up the sport," she said.

Zheng's idols are Gu Ailing, China's Winter Olympic freestyle skiing champion, and Zheng Qinwen, the country's first Olympic tennis singles gold medalist.

"Their fighting spirit inspires me," she said. "I want to be like them someday — winning a major title for my country."

Zheng recalled her mother's playful encouragement: "Gu Ailing has a nickname — 'the Frog Princess', so, I guess that makes you the 'Tadpole Princess'."

She said her love for skateboarding won't end. After she retires, she says her dream is to become a female judge at international bowl events after retiring.

"That would be awesome — because, so far, I've never seen (a female judge)," she said.

'Just cool'

Yu Jinmo, also 13, fell in love with the sport for a simpler reason: "It's just so cool."

At age six, she was walking past a square with her parents where an older boy was skateboarding and she was instantly drawn to it. So, her parents took her to a skateboard club, where she started practicing.

In 2022, Yu earned a spot on the Sichuan provincial skateboarding team. That same year, she claimed a gold in skateboarding at the National Roller Skating Championships.

At the 2026 Asian Skateboarding Championships in Meishan, she finished second in the game of skate competition.

Yu enjoys trying new tricks — especially ones that no one else has done — even if it means risking poor results in competitions or a greater chance of injury.

"As long as a move looks cool, I will definitely give it a shot," she said.

Yu has suffered multiple injuries. The worst was when she missed a rail during a competition, fell, and landed on her chin.

She bled heavily and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

That, however, hasn't kept her off her board.

"If you truly love the sport, those injuries don't really matter," she said.

Yu said her skateboarding experience has taught her a simple lesson: stick to what you love, and don't worry about what others say.

"My grandma used to be a little bit against me learning skateboarding, but, after seeing what I've achieved, she's now come around to support me," she said.

'Keep going'

Wu Bowen, 19, was also into skateboarding because it looked cool. However, he didn't take it up for medals, but to escape weekend homework.

"My parents noticed my athletic talent, so they supported me," said the youngster from Nanping, Fujian province. "I just thought it was fun."

Wu started at around 13, which is pretty late compared to most skaters, but, just 15 months later, he took sixth place at the 2020 National Skateboarding Championships.

In 2025, he won gold in men's park at the national championships.

"Most of my rivals have been skating for nearly ten years, but that doesn't scare me," he said.

"I can land the hardest tricks, the highest jumps, and the biggest moves — and I'm pretty consistent."

Wu said he had never performed so well and so flawlessly as he did at the Meishan event, despite only finishing third in the men's park final.

"I was so nervous in the prelims that I messed up my first run. Then I told myself: don't treat it as a competition, just enjoy it," he said. "Results matter, but what's more important is showing what you've got."

The competition was special for him, as the stands were filled with spectators — no longer just a few familiar faces.

"Every time I landed a trick, cheers erupted. That was a one-of-a-kind experience," he said.

Wu used to be a person with no big dreams. Skateboarding gave him a concrete goal: to perform on an international stage and bring honor to his country.

The teen noted that most Chinese athletes retire by the time they reach their early 20s, but he doesn't plan to follow suit.

"The sport has a high age ceiling. Overseas, some guys are still skating in their 50s," he said.

"I enjoy every bit of progress. As long as I see myself improving, I'll keep going."

Competitive location

While skateboarders compete for their dreams in Meishan, the host city is paving the way for more to follow.

Li Rui, deputy director of Meishan's education and sports bureau, said the city has built the Meishan International Roller Skating and Skateboarding Center — an Olympic-standard venue — to promote the sport's development.

The five-day event last month — Asia's first continental championship just for skateboarding — was the venue's inaugural competition and welcomed 172 athletes from 13 countries and regions.

"Our city may not be strong in traditional sports, but we have an edge in action sports like skateboarding," Li said.

In Meishan, skateboarding is a hit among students and young professionals. The city is home to more than 5,000 regular skaters and over 10 skateboard clubs and grassroots organizations.

The city has been promoting the sport in schools, neighborhoods, and malls, while adding skate spots in sports parks and plazas.

Training programs and youth summer camps are also underway to build a broader base for the sport, Li said.

"The goal of hosting the championships is also about using the event's exposure to boost skateboarding at both the professional and grassroots levels," he added.

The event brought not only sporting excitement, but also economic vitality, Li said. It attracted over 50,000 spectators and sports fans, generating over 80 million yuan ($11.7 million) in direct spending on tourism, dining, accommodation and shopping.

"I took my family out for a meal one night, and the tables around us were packed with Koreans, Filipinos — you name it," Li said. "That's proof of how the event drove up local spending."

Liao Jincheng, deputy general manager of Meishan Sports Industry Development and Investment Co Ltd, who oversees the venue's operations and training programs, said tickets for the semifinals and finals were completely sold out.

He said the venue will host professional teams for training camps and work with schools, youth centers, and skating associations to maximize its usage.

Right next to the skateboarding venue is a world-class rock climbing gym boasting 7,200 square meters of climbable surfaces — one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world, Liao said.

"Under Meishan's development plan, the venue's surrounding area will turn into a hub for action sports," Liao said. "Hopefully, one day, we'll see a national or world champion come from here."