1. Personal Life
Lin Sheng's personal journey into fencing began in her hometown, leading her to become a prominent figure in Chinese fencing.
1.1. Early Life and Background
Lin Sheng was born on 5 January 1994, in Fuzhou, Fujian province, China. She began her fencing career at the age of 10 in 2004.
1.2. Entry into Fencing and Transition
In 2008, Lin Sheng joined the Fujian provincial fencing team. During this period, she transitioned her primary weapon from foil to épée, a change that would define her competitive career. By 2010, she had been selected for both the Chinese senior national team and the junior national team, marking her entry into international competition.
2. Career Highlights
Lin Sheng has achieved notable success across various fencing competitions, from youth events to major international championships.
2.1. Youth and Junior Competitions
Lin Sheng demonstrated early promise in her fencing career, securing significant victories at youth and junior levels.
In August 2010, she participated in the girls' épée event at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics held in Singapore. She won the gold medal after defeating Alberta Santuccio of Italy in the final. The following year, in April 2011, Lin Sheng competed at the 2011 Junior World Fencing Championships in Amman, Jordan. There, she was part of the Chinese girls' team that secured a gold medal in the team épée event, contributing to the victory over the Russian team alongside teammates Sun Yujie and Xuan Qi.
2.2. Senior International Competitions
Lin Sheng has been a consistent competitor in major senior international tournaments, earning several medals and high rankings.
2.2.1. Asian Fencing Championships
At the 2014 Asian Fencing Championships, Lin Sheng was part of the Chinese team that won the gold medal in the team épée event. Her teammates for this victory included Qin Xue, Sun Yiwen, and Sun Yujie. Earlier, in September 2013, she also competed in the Asian U-23 Championships in Kuwait City, Kuwait, where she earned a gold medal in the team event and a silver medal in the individual competition.
2.2.2. World Fencing Championships
Lin Sheng achieved significant success at the World Fencing Championships. At the 2019 World Fencing Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, she secured a silver medal in the individual épée event, finishing behind Nathalie Moellhausen of Brazil. In the same championship, she also earned a gold medal in the team épée event, where the Chinese team defeated the Russian team. Overall, Lin Sheng has claimed one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal at the World Fencing Championships throughout her career.
2.2.3. Other Senior Events
In March 2013, Lin Sheng won her first senior international medal at the Barcelona International Fencing Tournament in Barcelona, Spain, where her team secured a gold medal in the épée team event by defeating Russia. In 2015, she competed in the International Fencing Federation Épée Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro, where she placed 40th.
2.3. Olympic Participation
Lin Sheng was selected to represent China in fencing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. However, she unfortunately withdrew from the competition due to health issues. Despite her withdrawal, she is considered to have been an Olympic participant. She later recovered in the same year.
2.4. National Championships
Following her recovery in 2016, Lin Sheng competed in the 2016 Chinese Fencing Championships. She won the gold medal in the women's individual épée event at this national competition.
3. Assessment
Lin Sheng's career demonstrates her consistent performance and ability to achieve top results across various levels of fencing competition. From her early success as a Youth Olympic champion and Junior World champion, she transitioned effectively into the senior circuit, securing multiple medals at the Asian and World Championships. Her overall medal count at the World Championships (one gold, one silver, and one bronze) highlights her standing among elite fencers. Despite a health-related setback that led to her withdrawal from the 2016 Summer Olympics, her subsequent national title victory underscored her resilience and continued competitive prowess.