China's 18-year-old Deng Yawen stunned the world with a surprise victory in the women's cycling BMX freestyle park final at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, scoring an impressive 92.60 points in her best run. This triumph secured China's eighth gold medal of the Games.

Deng's two runs both scored over 90 points, securing her the gold medal. Her teammate, 20-year-old Sun Jiaqi, finished in the seventh place.

Being her first Olympics, Deng admitted to feeling nervous and hesitant, especially after witnessing her teammates' mistakes. However, she found the strength to believe in herself to execute her routines flawlessly. 

"When you have a firm goal, any difficulty becomes a small issue," Deng told reporters after her win. "Everything revolves around achieving that goal."

Deng's outstanding performance came as US favorite Hannah Roberts, who ranked first in the preliminary rounds, faltered under pressure. 

"Who isn't nervous at a major competition? Especially when it's our first Olympics, our pressure might be even greater than hers," Deng said of the performance of Roberts, whose best run scored only 70 points and finished in the eighth place. 

Deng's journey to this golden moment began in 2017 when she faced a crucial decision during her winter break. 

She received invitations from two different sports teams: one from the provincial javelin team and the other from a BMX coach seeking potential talent for the Tokyo Olympics when the sport was set to make its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

Ultimately, her family's decision led her to pursue BMX, opening a new and exciting chapter in her life.

BMX has become Deng's primary focus and nearly sole hobby. 

"Most of my life is taken up by BMX. My friends, coaches, playmates, and even social media are all about BMX. If I have to mention a hobby, it's just BMX," she stated.

Deng's coach Daniel Dhers, who is from Venezuela, is a Tokyo 2020 Olympics silver medalist, providing her with invaluable guidance and experience. 

In 2023, Deng topped the podium at the 2023 UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup with a score of 93.84 points in Bazhong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, and her stellar performances in the Olympic qualification series secured her a place at the Paris Olympics. 

She finished in the sixth place at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

Her victory at the Paris Olympics marks a historic milestone for China in BMX freestyle, a sport the nation only began to explore seriously in recent years. 

The Chinese national freestyle BMX team was established in 2018, and despite not qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, the team has shown remarkable progress. 

Deng's gold medal win, alongside her teammate Sun's seventh-place finish, highlights the rapid advancement of Chinese athletes.