On a sunny Sunday on Sanya's Phoenix Island in the tropical island province of Hainan, the women's high jump final of the just-concluded 2026 Asian Beach Games drew a packed house at the athletics venue, and for good reason.

China's Shao Yuqi and Hu Linpeng, the respective gold and bronze medalists from November's 15th National Games, were both expected to add another medal for their country.

But the open-air setting, with swaying coconut trees and an expanse of azure sea dwarfing the competition mats, along with a sand-covered run-up area, would test them in ways a traditional stadium high jump setup never could.

"When you compete indoors, the mats and the bar look quite large. In a 400-meter open-air stadium, they shrink a bit. But, today, on the sand, they seem tiny. The sky and the background stretch out endlessly, so it's a very wide-open view," said Hu.

While spectators can enjoy a unique and picturesque experience — watching athletes arch their backs and float over the bar with the sea breeze — for the jumpers, adapting to this environment is a real challenge, because the vast, open setting messes with their ingrained spatial awareness, making technical mistakes more likely.

"The sand saps some of your energy, so you don't build up as much speed on the run-up. That means we have to rely more on vertical explosive power," Hu said.

The run-up takes place on soft sand, while the takeoff zone features a standard rubber surface, creating an abrupt shift in underfoot conditions. Compounding the challenge, sand inevitably spreads across the rubber.

"The surface is slippery when you take off, and there is a risk of injury. I tried to control my speed during my approach and adjust my steps. It was so hard," said Filipino men's high jump athlete Leonard Grospe in an interview following the first competition day.

During the competition, both Shao and Hu missed twice at 1.83 meters, before finally clearing it on their third attempts. After Uzbekistan's Barnokhon Sayfullayeva successfully made 1.85m, the two Chinese jumpers decided to skip their remaining tries at that height and moved straight to 1.87m. Unfortunately, they failed all three attempts, and both had to settle for silver.

"Of course, I'm disappointed not to win the gold, but I'm still proud that we Chinese athletes took home two silver medals — and congratulations to the gold medalist," Shao said.

"No matter what kind of venue we compete in, everyone faces the same conditions. As long as you give it your all, there's no reason to regret anything," Hu added.

As the high jump competition was wrapping up, the 4x60-meter relay races had already begun on the adjacent track, with the cheers from the crowd ringing out.

Yet, both jumpers said they didn't notice any of it — they were completely absorbed in their own performances.

That same ability to block out distractions has served them well off the field, too, especially in coping with the surge of public attention that followed the 15th National Games.

People haven't just been talking about their athletic prowess; more visibly, they've also been drawn to their striking good looks and toned, athletic physiques.

Seeing so many spectators come out to cheer for her, Shao said that all this public interest is actually a good thing for athletics.

"If people can focus that attention on the high jump, I'd be very happy," she said.

Now 24, Shao is a postgraduate student at Tsinghua University's School of Social Sciences and is often called a "beauty A-grader" by the public.

She finds it natural to balance her academic studies with her training.

Standing at just 1.75 meters — hardly an advantage for a female high jumper — Shao has strengthened herself by training more than 300 days a year.

She now has her sights set on this year's Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

This year is the Year of the Horse, her zodiac year, and she likens herself to a colorful pony.

"Compared to those tall, powerful horses, I might look small, but even the small have their own strength."