Dora Yao, 16, an IB Year 11 student at SUIS Gubei, has consistently excelled academically. In November 2025, she made history as the youngest dressage athlete at the 15th National Games in Shenzhen, composing a youth story with passion and tenacity.
16岁的姚奕言（Dora）是协和古北IB 11年级学生，学业始终名列前茅。2025年11月，她以最年轻盛装舞步运动员的身份站上深圳第十五届全运会赛场，用热爱与坚韧书写青春篇章。
Academic & Athletic Excellence: An All-Round Star
学业竞技双优，全能学子展锋芒
Dora’s “all-round resume” stands out: In Grade 9, she won the National Rookie of the Year Award in Nutrition at the HOSA Bio Competition and advanced to the global round; in Grade 10, she claimed silver medals at both the British Biology Olympiad (BBO) and International Biology Olympiad (IBO). On campus, she played clarinet and bass clarinet in the school band, joined the basketball and volleyball teams, and holds the title of National Second-Class Figure Skater.
Dora的 “全能履历” 格外亮眼：9年级获HOSA生物竞赛营养学全国最佳新人奖并晋级全球总决赛，10年级斩获英国生物奥林匹克竞赛（BBO）与国际生物奥林匹克竞赛（IBO）双银奖。校园中，她是校乐队单簧管、低音单簧管乐手，曾效力校篮球、排球队，还拥有花样滑冰国家二级运动员资质。
In equestrian sports, Dora has trained under Coach Li Yu’ang of the Jiangsu Equestrian Team since 2021, practicing on weekends. In 2022, she swept two gold medals in the junior division at the Shanghai Municipal Games; from 2022 to 2024, she completed a “grand slam” in CEA junior events. Promoted to the youth division in 2024, she won four gold medals at the National Championship Cup in half a year and was named “CEA Outstanding Rider of the Year”. In 2025, she made her European debut, finishing sixth (69.479%) at the German ANKUM Spring Show, and was selected for the Chinese Equestrian National Team to prepare for the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games.
马术领域，Dora自2021年师从江苏队教练李裕昂，利用周末时间训练：2022年包揽上海市运会少年组两枚金牌，2022-2024年实现中马协（CEA）少年组 “大满贯”；2024 年升入青年组后，半年横扫全国冠军杯四枚金牌，获评 “CEA年度优秀骑手”。 2025年，她首征欧洲赛场，在德国ANKUM春季赛获第六名（69.479%），更入选国家队备战2026 年名古屋亚运会。
Dual Battle: Persistence on the Road to National Games
双线作战，全运之路写坚韧
At the end of 2024, the age limit for equestrian events at the National Games was relaxed, and Dora seized the opportunity to join the Jiangsu Team for preparation. As a Grade 11 student, she embarked on a high-intensity schedule: every Thursday, she traveled over 200 kilometers by car between Shanghai and Jiangsu for training, and returned to school early the next morning; on weekends, she trained, took care of horses at the base, and interned at equine hospitals; she also studied during flights, breaks at the barn, and late nights in hotels.
2024年底，全运会马术项目年龄限制放宽，Dora抓住机遇加入江苏队备战。作为高二学生，她开启高强度节奏：每周四驱车往返沪苏训练（200多公里），次日清晨返校；周末在训练基地练马、照料马匹，还到马医院实习；飞机上、马房间隙、酒店深夜，都是她补习功课的时间。
During preparation, her main horse was injured accidentally two months before the Games, forcing Dora to quickly adapt to a new horse. With great perseverance, she worked closely with her team to refine their coordination and finally qualified for the finals. Meanwhile, SUIS teachers and classmates supported her fully, helping her balance academics—she performed well in her IBDP PP1 exams and scored 114 in TOEFL.
备战中，赛前两个月主力马意外受伤，Dora紧急与新马磨合。凭借坚韧意志，她与团队反复打磨配合，最终突围预选赛。 期间，学校师生全力支持，助她兼顾学业——IBDP校内阶段考试中成绩优异，托福斩获114分。
Youth Without Regret: The Dream Continues
青春无悔，逐梦之路无止境
Equestrian is the only Olympic sport where humans and animals compete together, and men and women compete side by side. At the National Games, Dora faced a 55-year-old veteran of 10 Games and many national champions. As the youngest participant with a “combined age” (rider + horse) of only 26, stepping onto the arena was a victory in itself.
马术是唯一人与动物共同参赛、男女同场竞技的奥运会项目。全运赛场上，Dora面对55岁十届全运老将及众多全国冠军骑手，作为最年轻参赛者，她与马匹的“组合年龄”仅26岁，跻身赛场即是胜利。
In the end, she helped the Jiangsu Team finish 5th in the team event and ranked 15th individually. Her poise won cheers from the crowd, with fans coming to cheer her on. A photo of her waving to the audience was captured by Xinhua News Agency as a classic moment.
最终，她助力江苏队获团体第五名，个人位列第十五名。赛场上的从容自信赢得阵阵掌声，粉丝专程到场助威，她挥手致意的画面被新华网定格为经典瞬间。
“We all gave our best. The unpredictability of competitive sports is both its cruelty and its greatest charm!” Dora said maturely in a post-match interview. This is her first National Games, and she will continue to strive for the Asian Games and Olympics, contributing youth power to China’s equestrian sports.
“我们都拼尽了全力。竞技体育的不确定性，既是它的残酷，也是它最迷人的地方！” 赛后采访中，Dora的话语尽显成熟。这是她的第一届全运会，未来她将向着亚运会、奥运会稳步迈进，用青春力量助力中国马术事业发展。
