by sportswriters Dong Yixing and Shen Nan

BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Just weeks ago, typing "Shi Haoyu" into Chinese search engine Baidu yielded little more than a name and a few race results.

Yet as the dust settled on the 2025 Taklimakan Rally - one of motorsport's most grueling challenges - searching his name now brings up photos of the 22-year-old from Inner Mongolia standing tall on the podium.

Finishing third overall among 23 riders in the motorcycle category, Shi was the top Chinese competitor, beaten only by two seasoned international racers - his teammates from the Hoto Factory Team.

Shi's first experience with two wheels was practical, not aspirational, and his initial ride at 17 ended in sweat and anxiety. "I rode a few kilometers out, then the bike suddenly wouldn't start. I had no phone. I just pushed it all the way back," Shi recalled. "Worried I had broken it. It was the family's transport."

The leap from transportation to obsession began not with a roar, but with a click. Scrolling online, he found a rugged off-road motorcycle priced within reach of his saved New Year's money.

The teenager used his savings to buy that first 5,000 yuan (about 694 U.S. dollars) machine. But dissatisfaction soon set in - the bike felt limiting. He quickly upgraded, investing over 20,000 yuan in a more capable model, purchased before even asking for parental approval.

"By the time I told my parents, the bike had already arrived," Shi admitted, revealing the early spark of his unwavering determination. He dropped out of high school after just one year, devoting himself entirely to motorcycles. He apprenticed as a mechanic for three years before opening his own repair shop.

"I rode every day, repaired every day. That's where I really started to improve," Shi said. His raw talent, forged in the deserts near his home in Ordos' Dongcheng District, began accelerating his rise. "I'm desert-born and bred."

The turning point came in 2023, thanks to mentor Pu Qingqiang. "He suddenly said there was something fun to race, I said okay, I'll try it."

With no prior rally experience, Shi shocked everyone, finishing fifth overall and winning the Best Rookie award at the Taklimakan Rally. "My target was just to finish. But after a few stages, it felt good, not that hard. My goal changed: top 10, then top 7, top 6, top 5... I was really happy, didn't expect such a good result. My coaches were surprised too."

The 2025 edition demanded a new level. Stage eight - the brutal 338-kilometer N39 stretch through Xinjiang's toughest terrain - became Shi's proving ground. Amid high dunes, soft sand and blinding dust storms, he battled not only the course, but himself.

"The sand was soft with heavy dust, vision was blocked, hidden pits everywhere. I had to be constantly vigilant," he said. "I fell five or six times, scraped my elbows and knees."

But it was there he triumphed, clocking six hours, nine minutes and 21 seconds to win the stage - breaking the international riders' streak from the previous seven stages - and went on to secure the overall bronze.

His performance was not just fast, but composed and self-reliant, shaped by years of being his own mechanic. "I have professional mechanical knowledge. I trust my bike, and I always tune it well before going. I haven't had any unexpected situations. I'm a stable, conservative rider."

That conservatism includes fuel management - a habit that led to a defining act of sportsmanship. During stage three of the 2023 rally, he noticed a stranded foreign rider signaling for help. "He pointed to his tank, empty... I thought about it, decided to help anyway," Shi recalled. He gave the rider five bottles of his own carefully conserved fuel - an act of generosity that cost him over 40 minutes.

Now, with his repair shop sold and a dedicated mechanic supporting his efforts, Shi is fully committed to racing. Heading into the 2025 rally, his goal was to "guarantee fifth, fight for third" - a goal he met.

Looking ahead, his ambitions stretch far beyond China's deserts. "I still want to win the championship," he said. "Then go race Dakar." ■