Lin Cheng began his first international competition against Tofig Mammadov (AZE), continuing with Abderrahmane Boushita (MAR). Finally, two-time grand slam winner Abdurakhim Nutfulloev (UZB) stopped him in the round of 16.
"It was a great honour to participate in this competition," Lin shared. "It was my very first time representing my motherland." Naturally, facing some of the world's finest judo talent brought an intense mix of emotions. Lin described feeling both highly excited and remarkably nervous. However, he maintained a grounded outlook, entering the tournament with a "learning attitude,” viewing every contest as an essential foundation to accumulate experience for future international fixtures.
The tournament took place in Qingdao, a location Lin described as beautiful and very welcoming. Despite the comfort of competing on familiar soil, the contests themselves proved challenging. Reflecting candidly on his performance, Lin admitted that the results fell short of his personal expectations. "The performance was indeed different from my ideal outcome," he explained, noting a sense of frustration at not securing a top placing for his country. When analysing his tactical approach, Lin emphasised that his primary focus is always securing the win, rather than worrying about the margin of points. Before his contests, Lin and his coaching staff spent a great deal of time researching his opponent's preferred grips and movements meticulously. However, translating that strategy on the mat proved difficult. He struggled to gain control of his opponent's grip in his last contest, which ultimately allowed Nutfulloev to score and win.
Rather than being discouraged, Lin is treating the experience as a vital lesson. He recognises clear areas for improvement, particularly noting that his technique needs refining and that his grip strength requires more improvement. Upon returning to training, his immediate focus will be on reinforcing his grip control and improving the precision of his movements.
Ultimately, Lin's sights remain firmly set on the future. He acknowledged that his exposure to international events is still limited and that accumulating more competitive experience is his top priority. When asked about the pinnacle of an athlete's career, the Olympic Games, Lin smiled, recognising the shared ambition of every competitor. "That is the ultimate goal of every athlete," Lin concluded. "As sportsmen, everyone works hard in that direction and strives to participate."