by sportswriters Su Bin and Liu Yichun

DANDONG, China, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A foot fracture in childhood and time as a fringe player in the cadet team seemed unlikely beginnings for a national team player who has competed in several major competitions, including the Olympic Games and Asian Games.

But Luo Xinyu made it. With resilience and grit, she overcame early challenges to break into the world of women's basketball.

"I just want to prove that I can do it, without wanting to live an ordinary life," the Chinese national team forward told Xinhua.

OUT OF THE DARK

At age 7, Luo sustained a right foot fracture in a car accident. After surgery, she remained in bed for more than 20 days, and with steel pins fixed, she had to keep her foot upright - a challenge even while asleep. It led to her bones healing crookedly, a reason many notice she now runs with her feet turned slightly outward.

"My joint flexibility may not even reach the level of the average person," she said.

Both former basketball players, Luo's parents introduced her to the sport.

However, her start was far from smooth. In the cadet team, Luo was a fringe player and was left out of the squad at the last moment before departure.

"Everyone else flew to the tournament, while I went back," she recalled.

Representing Jiangsu in the U-18 women's basketball division of China's 13th National Games in 2017, she saw limited playing time. At that stage, she considered quitting.

"My family thought basketball might not be the right path for me. Only my father asked me to try one more time."

In the Jiangsu junior team, Luo met coach Shi Tianbing. "She asked if I still wanted to play. I said yes. She replied that she would coach me properly," Luo said.

"Game after game, coaches at different age levels kept encouraging me. When everyone around you said you could do it, confidence slowly grew," she added. "For me now, nothing feels bigger than what I faced back then."

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In 2023, Luo made her senior national team debut in five-on-five basketball at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup, averaging 4.8 points in 12 minutes per game as China reclaimed the title after a 12-year gap.

She went on to appear on the global stage at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This July, she returned to the Asia Cup, where her average playing time rose to 22.3 minutes and scoring to 9.2 points per game.

"In the first year [2023], I didn't play much and carried little responsibility. In this year's Asia Cup, my minutes and chances grew, and I had a bigger sense of responsibility."

"In the past, I just focused on my own assignment; now when a teammate struggles on the court, I will try to lift her up and add energy to the group," she said.

As a shooter, Luo is well aware of the need for consistency.

"Facing the opponents' targeted defense, sometimes my rhythm and mindset wobbled," she said. "Often it's not about technique, it's about mindset and rhythm."

Despite three years with the national team, the 23-year-old still holds herself to the standards of a rookie. "Every minute on court demands energy and fight. Without these, nothing else matters."

"In this Olympic cycle, I'll get more chances. I hope to seize them and repay the team's trust with better performances."

Away from basketball, Luo enjoys scuba diving.

"I cherish the moment when all I hear is my own breath and the whole world goes quiet," she said. Enditem