From child actor to Olympic champion: Meet snowboarding superstar Su Yiming

By Ben Church, CNN

(CNN) — In 2022, just days before his 18th birthday, Chinese snowboarder Su Yiming found himself atop an Olympic podium with a gold medal hanging around his neck.

The 17-year-old had just won the men’s big air final at the Beijing Winter Olympics, a moment which changed his life in unimaginable ways.

In truth, Su was already well-known by some in China. He had found fame as a child actor in several movies before switching his attention to professional snowboarding in 2018.

But after winning gold – and a silver in the slopestyle event – at his home Games, his profile soared higher than he could ever have imagined.

Luxury brands came barreling in, wanting to partner with the man of the moment who captured the imagination of China’s younger generation.

Suddenly, his face was everywhere, from fashion shoots to television appearances. Su was a superstar.

Now boasting over 300,000 followers on Instagram and over 2,000,000 on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Su is one of the most recognizable faces heading into next year’s Winter Olympics in Italy.

“I feel really honored and feel really lucky to have so many people who always look at me,” he tells CNN Sports from a training camp in Switzerland.

“I’m always looking up to my idols, in snowboarding or even in life, so I really know what it means to the younger generation to look up to their idol.

“I really try to be better, and try to show young people that once you have a dream, once you have something you love, just putting 100% to go chase for your dream, and then it will come one day.”

Path to Mount Olympus

Su’s rise to Olympic champion is no accident.

Both his mom and dad were snowboarders and he remembers finding himself playing on the slopes from the age of four, when his parents couldn’t find anyone else to look after him.

At first, he used a board that was bigger than he was. It took a while, almost five years, before he grew into it.

By then, the slopes in northern China became his second home. It’s a place which feels totally natural to Su. In today’s fast-paced world, where he finds himself being pulled from one major city to another, the 21-year-old still longs to spend time out in the wild, where the only thing that matters is having fun on his board.

Life as a film star

But before he became a sporting icon, Su’s first break into the public consciousness came in the world of acting.

When producers of a new film were looking for a child who was comfortable on the snow, Su swapped out his board for skis to play Zi Shuan in the popular film “The Taking of Tiger Mountain.”

The film and his character struck a chord with the Chinese public and Su saw his acting career blossom, going on to feature in several other films and television series.

“That memory just gives me a really special feeling,” he said, looking back at his time as a child actor.

“I’m pretty sure a lot of people at that age can’t experience so many crazy things. It’s pretty crazy.”

But while his acting career went from strength to strength, he never let go of his love for snowboarding and a fire was lit in his heart after Beijing was picked to host the 2022 Winter Games.

He turned his attention full-time to the sport in 2018, competing in his first proper competition a year later where his potential was clear to see.

Making of a champion

Whether he performed well or poorly in competitions, the youngster kept dreaming of making it to the Olympics and dedicated his entire life to improving.

Then, after a stellar year before the Games, Su was chosen to represent his nation. What happened next, was just the icing on the cake.

He won two medals, the first a silver and then the magical gold. It was the defining moment of his young life.

But after the fanfare died down, Su was left with a hole. For most of his teenage life, he had dreamed of winning gold at the Winter Olympics. Once he achieved his wildest ambition, there was a period of transition where he lost his motivation.

“I kind of lost my passion for competing,” he said. “I still loved snowboarding, but I decided to take a year and a half off to take some rest for my mental and also for my body.

“Every morning I woke up, there was a dream, some goal you wanted to chase for, that’s why you put in your 100% and work really hard.

“But right after I won the gold, the next morning I woke up and thought there was nothing else I wanted. It feels really empty at that point.”

Much like other sporting prodigies, such as US tennis star Amanda Anisimova, Su spent the ensuing months recharging his batteries. He enjoyed time off with family and friends, immersing himself in nature and pursuing his other interests, such as fashion.

“I still got out snowboarding, but just without any purpose, and not for competition, just trying to have fun,” he said.

“I think that definitely helped. I felt like I just needed some time to take a rest – snowboarding is just a part of my life.”

After that reset, he returned to competitive snowboarding with a new ambition of retaining his Olympic title in Italy.

Life, for him, looks very different heading into his second Winter Games and Su knows there will be a target on his back during the competition.

“I got more pressure going into the next Olympics because, for the last one, I was just kind of a nobody, and it was just more about challenging myself,” he said.

“People are expecting more from you, and that’s why you feel pressure from yourself. But I spent a lot of time talking to my family and I took those years off after the Olympics to set my mind in the right spot. I use those pressures for motivation.”

Pool, fishing and surfing

Su knows he’s in the privileged position of being in high demand. He has ventures in several different fields and is growing his profile around the world.

It’s exhausting just hearing about the things such a young man can fit into his 24 hours, but it’s a schedule that seems to energize him.

But balance, he said, helps him enjoy his often hectic life and career.

While his stock is rocketing around the world, the skateboarding sensation remains humble, grounded by those who know him best.

“I’m a pretty chilled guy, especially when I’m back home. It’s the time you can finally relax,” he said.

“I’ve been enjoying spending time with family, just eating dinner together and then having a conversation. That feels really special, it’s like recharging.

“Also, when at home, I go play pool with my friends and I go fishing and surfing. I’m not the guy who wants to be at home and watch his phone or a movie. I’m trying to get close to nature and doing a lot of stuff that feels like I’m connected to nature.”

But the world is set to see the other side of Su in February next year, the one capable of being the best snowboarder on the planet.

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