When, on 4 August 2012, the almost twentieth-year old Chen Ding (CHN) began to greet the public by walking around the Victoria Memorial and starting to  enter in the Mall straight for the last time, he still had three race waling judges in the last part of the course that could sanction him and put an end to its Olympic dream.

He certainly thought that the advantage he had on Erick Barrondo (GUA), surprisingly second, (a dozen seconds) and his team-mate Wang Zhen (almost 50") allowed him in absolute tranquility to finish the difficult 20km of which had succeeded the previous lap to unravel the problem.

However, a red card due to loss of contact weighed on him and the presence in the remaining part of the course of three more race waling judges advised the young Chinese not to overdo it: the walking races remember several times disqualifications of the last hour also in the Olympic programs.

Who knows if he could have imagined that six years later, there would have been one of those walking judges.

It is not quite usual, at least in Europe, among former athletes to dedicate themselves to judgment after the end of the sports career: it is preferred to be a coach.

In China, however, this path seems to be quite normal. In addition to Chen Ding, we remember two other athletes who had chosen to dedicate themselves to this interesting adventure: Wang Liping (gold medal in the 20km in Sydney 2000) and Chu Yafei (10th in the 20km in Beijing 2008, and winner of the 20km of La Coruna of 2009 and 2010)

And so the not yet twenty-six year old Chen Ding entered the ranks of the national judges of China officially in the 3rd leg of the Grand Prix of China in Taicang on May 7, 2018.

A choice that we feel like sharing.

Best wishes for your future Chen Ding!