Like most of the athletes, she fought against the biggest enemy: her own body. She began to challenge herself to complete more difficult jumps and spins without any protection measures. With hundreds of falls and tumbles, she never gave up the dream of competing in her second Olympics.

At 1984 Sarajevo winter Olympics, Bao fell and ranked 19th. Feeling heartbroken and disappointed, Bao decided to retire.

Skating did not bring her success, but it did pair her with a beloved lifetime partner in Bian Shaotang, who has served for 10 years as the captain of China's national ice-hockey team.

Bian's team fought to Group B in the 1981 World Championships, and ranked 15th in the 1982 championships, maintaining that record even now. Bian was also honored as the best guard in Group B in 1982.

They got married after retiring from the national teams, and winter sports have always stayed in their lives.

TORCH RELAY FOR THE RISING STAR

Bao and his husband moved to Japan for a college education in the 1990s but they always kept their eyes on Chinese figure skating.

She and her family drove some 10 hours from Kyushu to Nagano to cheer for the Chinese rising figure skater Chen Lu at 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Japan. Chen, coming from Jilin Province as well, won a bronze in ladies' singles.

When the famous pair Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo were crowned with the gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics in Canada, Bao jumped up from couch for joy in front of TV.

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