by Sportswriters Dong Yixing and Yang Fan

CHONGLI, China, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Claiming bronze in the women's halfpipe on home snow at the FIS Snowboard World Cup on Friday, Cai Xuetong did more than climb the podium.

At 32, in a field where gold and silver were claimed by a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old, China's snowboarding pioneer proved her enduring place in the sport she helped define.

"I really didn't expect to make it onto the podium today," an emotional Cai said. "The level of women's competition keeps rising so much. I'm really proud of myself for still having my place among such a high-level field."

This medal, hard-fought and unexpected, marks a milestone toward her singular goal: competing at her fifth Olympic Winter Games next year in Milan-Cortina.

Following a heartbreaking fourth-place finish at Beijing 2022 - the closest she has come to an Olympic podium - Cai faced a crossroads. She revealed that a deliberate reset was necessary.

"My form was very poor in the latter half of last season, so I skipped the World Championships," she explained. "The worse you compete, the more your confidence drains. I wanted to adjust and get my form back."

This season, she returns with renewed structure, having rejoined the national team. With a career boasting three world championship titles and 14 World Cup gold medals, Cai's focus has evolved. Her strategy now acknowledges the meteoric rise of a new generation.

"The biggest challenge is the impact of the young riders. They are very competitive," she said. "I might not match them in difficulty, but I want to show myself in style and the variety of my grabs."

"Our generation took many detours. They are much more fortunate. They have great facilities and mature techniques. I hope they can snowboard better and fly higher," she added.

This season's return to form - including this World Cup bronze and two second-place finishes early last season - is part of a planned buildup for Milan.

"It's all centered around the Milan Winter Olympics," Cai noted. Her effort extends beyond training; she has begun documenting her journey in vlogs, wanting to show the real preparation behind an athlete's performance.

"I wanted to use the 100-day countdown as a chance to show everyone what an athlete's preparation really looks like," she shared, though she admits the workload is immense. "It's a lot because I have to compete, train and recover. I simply don't have the time to edit."

Despite the effort, she finds it rewarding. "The feedback has been good, and I think it's interesting. It's a test for everyone because it's such a long process."

The dream that fuels this immense effort remains an Olympic medal - the final unchecked box in a storied career. Yet her perspective has matured.

"To say I have no vision would be a lie; of course I do," she said when asked about her goals for a fifth Olympics. "But I think it's about snowboarding well for myself, putting my best form out there. Whether you're happy or not, your riding can show it. I hope that when people see me ride, they can see my passion for this."

"I think it's because I love snowboarding that I'm still here," she reflected. "The difficulties are manageable because I love it. I want to express myself and let everyone see my passion for snowboarding through my actions."

With her qualification for Milan looking secure, Cai looks ahead not with burden, but with the clarity of an athlete who has rediscovered her sport's purest joy. She also finds inspiration in sharing this journey with longtime teammate Liu Jiayu, who is also targeting a fifth Games.

"We've been together since we were as young as the current junior athletes. I admire her spirit so much for competing injured today," Cai said. "I believe both of us will definitely make it to Milan." ■