Jayce
In the Guangdong sports front, there is a group of sportswomen: some silently dedicate themselves to grassroots sports teams, others carefully nurture talent in school sports fields, and some selflessly commit to sports management positions. Day after day, they strive diligently, writing new chapters in the development of Guangdong sports in the new era.
Their spirit of exploration, creativity, and diligence reflects the unyielding and ambitious nature of Guangdong sports professionals. In the workplace, they are coaches, teachers, and officials; at home, they are daughters, wives, and mothers. Their dedication to their careers, love for their families, and insights into life exemplify the perseverance and resilience of modern women, and highlight the independent and strong characteristics of women in the new era, showcasing the historical achievements in the development of women’s careers in China.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we interviewed several women in Guangdong sports, launching an exclusive series of reports on the “she-power” behind champions. Join us as we step into their lives and inner worlds…
In 2016, Athens Olympic badminton women’s doubles champion Zhang Jiewen transitioned from the Deputy Director of the Guangzhou Badminton Management Center to an Associate Professor at Sun Yat-sen University through the “Hundred Talents Program,” becoming a university badminton instructor. Seven years have passed, and “Sister Wen,” as her students call her, has gained more insights and thoughts in teaching, earning increasing respect from her students. She has developed a unique teaching system and evaluation mechanism. Zhang humorously describes herself as having a “compulsion to keep busy,” which has proven very rewarding. Under her guidance, the Sun Yat-sen University badminton team has gained cohesion, and students have tangibly benefited, giving her a sense of accomplishment.
Distinctive Teaching: An Olympic Champion Turns Video Expert
Zhang Jiewen’s students affectionately call her “Sister Wen” in private, with some even jokingly inviting her for coffee. However, in class, everyone respectfully addresses her as “Teacher Zhang.” Unlike her first three years as a teacher, when she was somewhat confused, Zhang has now established a personalized teaching system through observation and learning. She has mature ideas about how to teach, interact with students, enhance team cohesion, and improve students’ performance.
One Saturday morning, we followed Zhang to the Sun Yat-sen University gym. In her office, she took out a notebook to jot down the day’s training plan. These training notebooks fill the cabinet behind her, increasing by more than one per year, detailing each student’s daily training schedule down to the minute, along with their simulated match win rates and attendance.
In addition to her training notebooks, Zhang also uses meticulously designed Excel spreadsheets on her phone to evaluate students monthly. Attendance accounts for 30%, daily fitness check-ins for another 30%, and regular training and match win rates for 40%. The student with the highest monthly score receives a tube of shuttlecocks as a reward. Though the prize is modest, it is a significant honor for the students.
At 9 a.m., Zhang led her students through warm-up and strength training, then began recording the session with a camera on a tripod. After class, she would edit the video during her free time, extracting the highlights for students to review repeatedly. Over her seven years of teaching, the former Olympic champion has become skilled at video editing, capable of producing a polished video in just 20 minutes. She believes students learn more effectively by reviewing their training videos than by watching world-class matches, as they can more directly identify and correct their own mistakes.
This habit of recording and analyzing videos comes from her time with the national team. When she first led the Sun Yat-sen team to a provincial competition, she recorded everything, even being teased by other coaches for her “unnecessary professionalism.” But she persisted. Yuan Zhenzong, a 2019 law school Ph.D. student and team member, found these edited videos invaluable. “Teacher Zhang’s edited videos are all highlights. It used to take 30 minutes to watch a full video, but her edits cut it down to 10 minutes, allowing us to watch three times in the same period. I’ve learned a lot from this.” Yuan appreciated Zhang’s meticulousness and strictness.
Grounded Work: Defining Success on Her Own Terms
Zhang jokes that she has a bit of a compulsion to excel at whatever she does. For instance, when the university badminton team’s training had to be moved to the university town campus, she arranged for noon sessions despite conflicting schedules with volleyball and basketball training. She sought effective methods to train students of varying levels by learning from Guangzhou teams, district sports schools, and amateur training schools. These efforts were self-initiated and not required by the university sports department. Yet, seeing her students’ enthusiasm and progress brought her great satisfaction.
“Some might think I’m wasting time that could be spent on research or projects, but I find it very interesting. Through this process, you constantly discover new things, and when students improve quickly through these methods, it feels like I’m creating something. I really enjoy that feeling.”
Initially, Zhang carried the “champion-or-nothing” mentality from her athlete days into teaching. But over time, her perspective shifted. She realized that not every student could be a champion, but helping them achieve personal breakthroughs was equally rewarding. “I like to do tangible things and enjoy the process. I have my own criteria for a sense of accomplishment, which doesn’t necessarily require others’ recognition. Whether I’m happy or successful, I decide that for myself. Others might see you as successful, but if you’re not happy, what’s the point?”
The Sun Yat-sen badminton team has now developed strong cohesion, with students increasingly motivated to bring honor to the university. Zhang has also found a personalized teaching method. Graduates who return to visit often express envy for the current team members.
Balancing Career and Family: Setting an Example for Her Children
Besides being Professor Zhang and Teacher Zhang, Zhang Jiewen is also a mother. Her son and daughter, both in elementary school, require significant attention. On weekends, Zhang’s father helps take care of the children in the morning while she trains the team. In the afternoon, Zhang takes over, bringing her kids to badminton classes. On weekdays, she picks them up from school, takes them to training, and manages their evening routine, balancing her responsibilities seamlessly.
As a professional woman, balancing career and family is challenging. Zhang is grateful for her family’s support but acknowledges that women face more obstacles in the workplace than men, compelling them to be more outstanding to be chosen. “For instance, many think male physical education teachers are stronger and more explosive, but we have many female PE teachers at Sun Yat-sen because we are exceptionally qualified. Today, more and more successful women are emerging, becoming stronger.”
At Sun Yat-sen University, several outstanding female PE teachers, including Olympic champions Luo Wei, Jiao Liuyang, and Yang Yilin, are setting an example. More dual-talented individuals in sports and academics are entering the teaching field. Zhang has observed this trend, noting that today’s athletes think more comprehensively about their futures beyond competition, balancing athletic and academic pursuits. “In the past, it was rare for athletes to have both international master and postgraduate qualifications, but now it’s becoming common. The state has been promoting sports-education integration, with universities offering favorable policies, encouraging more talented women in sports to move into academia.”
Zhang is pleased with this change and believes modern women should pursue their career dreams. “Single women should seize the time to achieve their dreams because marriage and children will naturally divide your attention. When you’re single, you can fully commit to your career, which is wonderful. As a mother, spending more time with your children is essential, but setting an example by pursuing your career is also valuable.”
Before her daughter started elementary school, Zhang never told her about her Olympic champion status. Her daughter learned about it from classmates and confirmed it at home. After participating in some events with Zhang and seeing her popularity, the daughter felt proud of her mother. Zhang’s son, more outgoing, occasionally boasts about his mother’s achievements, prompting Zhang to teach them the importance of hard work. “They see the results of my past efforts. If they want an extraordinary life, they must strive hard from a young age.” Zhang insists on her children learning badminton, not for accolades but to instill a lifelong habit of exercise. “I bring them to my training sessions during university breaks, hoping they get inspired by interacting with excellent talents, aiming to be relatively outstanding themselves.”
Nurturing her students and children is now Zhang’s primary goal, and she finds happiness in this journey.
Zhang Jiewen’s Profile
- Birth Year: 1981
- Key Milestones in Sports Career: Started playing badminton in 1987, joined the national training team in 1997. Won the women’s doubles title at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Australia. Partnered with Yang Wei after the 2002 Asian Games, achieving world No. 1 ranking in 2003, one of China’s top women’s doubles players.
- Major Honors: 2004 Athens Olympics Women’s Doubles Champion, 2005 World Badminton Championships Women’s Doubles Champion, 2005 Badminton World Cup Women’s Doubles Champion, among others.
- Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Physical Education, Sun Yat-sen University.
