FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHummshowcasedhisskillsamidstbreathtakingsceneryalongChina'sYellowRiverduringahigh-stakescompetition,emphasizingthesport'sabilitytoinspirebalance,perseverance,andcross-culturalconnections.


　　FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHummcompetesaboveChina'sYellowRiver,inHejinCity,ShanxiProvince,onApril20,2024.(Xinhua/XieYuan)


　　TAIYUAN,China,April24(Xinhua)--FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHumm,withhisgoldenhairflutteringinthebreeze,concentratedintenselyashebalancedona2.5cm-wideband,suspended170metersabovetheground.ThisdramaticsceneunfoldedaboveChina's"MotherRiver,"theYellowRiver,inHejincity,ShanxiProvince,duringahigh-profileslacklinecompetition.Despitethestunningbackdrop,Hummhadlittleopportunitytosavortheview.


　　Slacklining,anextremesportthatsynthesizeselementsofrockclimbing,parkour,andgymnastics,requiresathletestomaintaintheirbalanceonanarrow,elevatedband,competingineitherspeedorskill-basedmaneuvers.


　　Atthisevent,Hummwaspittedagainsthislong-timerival,ShiHailinfromChina,whoholdstheGuinnessWorldRecordforthefastest100mslacklinewalk.Bothcompetitors,donningidenticaloutfitsdowntotheirsunglassesandheadbandsasamutualtribute,preparedforthechallenge.Humm'srightfootwasnotablybandaged,arecentinjurythatunderscoredthedemandingnatureoftheirsport.


　　FrenchslacklinewalkerBenoitHumm(2nd,R)posesonApril20,2024.


　　Despitethissetback,Humm,whoclinchedhisfirstgoldmedalamonthagoattheWorldIndoorChampionshipsinGlasgow,advancedtothetopfouramong20competitorsfromChina,Germany,Spain,andothercountries.Thecompetitorsweretaskedwithwalking50metersonaslacklineataheightcomparabletohalfthatoftheEiffelTower.


　　Aftertworigorousrounds,Hummdidnotsecureavictory.Reflectingonthecompetition,heremarked,"I'mreallyhappytoseethat.It'sapositivecompetitionbecausewepulleachotherup,"acknowledgingtheelevatedlevelofcompetitionsincehispeakin2019.


　　Humm'stiestoChina,wherehehascompetedmultipletimes,rundeep.Hedescribedthecountryashis"blessedland,"particularlyrecallinghis2019victoryinZhangjiajie,whichmarkedhisascendancyinthesport.ThisvictoryalsohelpedtoigniteapassionforslackliningamongmanyyoungChinese,includingHeJinyi,whooutperformedHumminthepreliminaryroundandciteshimasamajorinfluence.


　　SlacklininghasnotonlybecomeapopularsportinChina,attractingtouriststoitssceniccompetitions,butithasalsobeenembracedasabroadlyaccessibleactivity.


　　"Thissporthelpspeopletobalance,tostaycalm,andtorecoverfrominjury.SoIthinkeverybodycandoit,notonlythechildren,butalsotheelderly,"saidHumm,whohopedtoinspiremorepeoplethroughhisstoryandperformancetopursuebiggerdreams.


　　FanstakephotosduringaslacklinecompetitionaboveChina'sYellowRiver,inHejinCity,ShanxiProvince,onApril20,2024.(Xinhua/XieYuan)


　　"Allyouneedisaribbonandtwofixingpoints,andyou'rereadytopractice,"saidShi,addingthatinuniversities,parks,andoutdoorsinmanybigcities,moreandmoreyoungpeople,evenasyoungassix,havebeguntopractise.


　　Thisyearmarksthe60thanniversaryoftheestablishmentofdiplomatictiesbetweenChinaandFrance,andtheOlympicGameswillbeheldinParis.


　　HummsaidthatChinaandFrancehavemanysimilarities,suchasrichfood,diverselandscapes,andsoon.Hehopesthroughsports,thetwopeoplescanenhancetheirunderstandingofeachother,andpersonallyvisiteachother'scountrytoexploremorehiddenbeauty.


　　"TheYellowRiveristhemotherriverofChina,andithasspecialmeaningandpowerfortheChinesepeople.Holdingacompetitioninsuchaspecialplacecanconveytotheworldthespiritoftryinghardandnevergivingup,"saidHumm.