BEIJING, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Olympic snowboarding champion Su Yiming has been named the latest Sport4Land Champion for Resilience by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on Wednesday.
As a Sport4Land Champion for Resilience, Su will work with the UNCCD to engage young people and sports communities in land restoration, drought resilience and sustainable land management.
"Protecting the land is protecting the future of every turn we carve, every run we chase and every moment we find freedom on snow," Su said. "Let's turn our love for the outdoors into action that heals the ground beneath us."
According to Su's team, snowboarding depends on a healthy mountain environment, with stable snowfall, resilient landscapes and thriving ecosystems providing essential foundations for the sport. As climate change accelerates land degradation, biodiversity loss and water stress, globally renowned athletes such as Su can help inspire a new generation to recognize that protecting nature also means protecting the future of sport and the communities that depend on healthy land.
The 22-year-old is one of the world's leading snowboarders. At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, he won gold in men's big air and silver in slopestyle, becoming China's first Olympic snowboarding champion. At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, he claimed another gold in slopestyle and bronze in big air.
Beyond competition, Su has been active in promoting sports among young people. Inspired by his father's experience as a volunteer coach, he established the Super Sports Foundation to expand access to sports education and support grassroots sports programs.
The Sport4Land initiative was launched during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It brings together athletes from around the world to raise awareness of land restoration and sustainable land management, while encouraging sports fans to take action to protect the environment. Enditem
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