PARIS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) — China’s Zhang Yufei described her bronze medal swim in the women’s 200m butterfly on Thursday as one of the toughest races of her busy Paris Olympics schedule.
Suffering from a fever and dysmenorrhoea, Zhang said she was helped before the final by a pep-talk from her mother.
“I’m much better now, but when I was swimming my hands were a little bit numb because right now I am on my period and I was also in pain during the race,” said Zhang, who was the gold medalist in this event in Tokyo three years ago.
“My mother is a very important person in my life. She said to perform at least 90% for this race,” Zhang said.
Zhang now has three bronze medals at these Games, having won two gold and two silvers in Tokyo.
The 26-year-old cast doubt over whether she would compete in the 200m butterfly again.
“I think this is probably one of the most difficult races I’ve had at these Olympics,” she said. “Due to my condition today, the fact that I can swim this time, I’m impressed with myself.”
