Crossing boundaries: QI Bote's exploration from the sports field to the frontier of research

From a student athlete to now a sports researcher, QI Bote, a recipient of Zhejiang University's Chu Kochen Scholarship, the highest honor bestowed upon ZJU students, has transformed his identity while also aiming to advance China's sports endeavors academically. He continuously inspires himself to make greater efforts towards realizing the dream of strong sports power.

On his academic path, QI Bote tackles difficult questions through a professional lens. His personal experience in sports has influenced his research direction. After suffering adverse reactions like dizziness and nausea following a football heading training session, he transitioned from athlete to sports researcher. During his postgraduate studies, he began researching sports brain injuries. Now, as a doctoral candidate, QI Bote focuses on issues within his field, conducting research on sports-related concussions and exploring mechanisms of injury prevention and pathology. Throughout his studies, QI Bote has published multiple high-level academic papers in international journals and his scholarly work has earned accolades in several competitions. He has also received numerous awards including national scholarships and outstanding postgraduate honors.

With a passion for volunteerism, QI Bote eagerly serves the community. He strives to help his peers fully understand, participate in, and love volunteer service. During his university years, he organized and served in over ten large-scale sporting event volunteer activities. Deeply involved in Zhejiang University's recruitment and training of over 2000 volunteers for the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games, QI Bote faced immense pressure but always confronted difficulties with love and dedication. During the Asian Games, he served as an assistant in the Olympic Family (OCA Family), volunteering for important dignitaries like the Vice Chairman of the Thailand Olympic Committee and members of the OCA Anti-Doping Committee. Throughout the Asian Para Games, he worked as an assistant, coordinating athletes at the opening and closing ceremonies. He also volunteered for two consecutive years at the Hangzhou Marathon as a member of the medical command group, ensuring the event’s smooth and safe operation.

Balancing research with work-life, QI Bote embraces challenges with a healthy attitude. To manage his studies and work, he handles student affairs when his research is not going favorably, balancing the pressure between the two. When workload increases, he utilizes his lunch breaks for handling tasks. Nights are often spent reading literature and organizing the day's research thoughts, a time he believes is less disturbed, allowing for extended contemplation. As a doctoral student in the sports department, basketball, tennis, volleyball, skiing, and other sports activities are his go-to means of relaxation. He engages in no less than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, not only maintaining his physical health but also preparing himself mentally for future learning and life challenges.

Adapted and translated from the article written by CHEN Yuxing &CHEN Haoyuan

Translator: GU Zhaoyu ('2025, Education)

Photo: the interviewees

Editor: HAN Xiao('25 PhD, Education), TIAN Minjie