From piano stool to motorbike saddle: A 16-year-old racer takes on the world

Lianyina says she has little memory of what happened that day, but her mother, Wang Kun, says that as they were on their way to the hospital she implored her daughter and son to give up the dangerous sport.

However, Lianyina insisted that she wanted to continue riding.

"I was amazed by her bravery and determination," Wang says, and from that moment her parents decided to put their whole heart into supporting both children in motocross racing.

While minors in China are barred from driving motor vehicles on public roads, they are permitted to take part in motorsports events such as motocross on enclosed circuits so long as they have a competition license.

Lianyina took part in her first race when she was 9. Now she races about 30 times a year, and the sport has taken her to many parts of the country.

"As long as the competition allows me to take part, I'll be there, whether I'm racing adults or younger riders."

The performance she is proudest of came in Dushan county, Guizhou province, in 2017.

All-day rain had turned the track into a quagmire, making racing especially dangerous, with one of the risks being that bikes can easily be bogged down in mud.

She felt under tremendous pressure facing her female rivals, all older than her, she says, but she managed to pull out all the stops and cross the line first.

"After that race I was too tired even to hold my helmet, and just sat on the ground exhausted."

The realization of what she had achieved dawned on her only after her mother plied her with water and she eventually managed to relax.

Her goal is to be a top dirt bike rider, training and racing in other countries.

"My dad keeps encouraging me on, saying that the goal is not to be the champion in a group of women in China, but to go abroad and race at a higher level, so I have to continue to improve my skills."

Her daily routine now is tied to training and racing, as well as taking online academic classes.

To improve her physical condition she does a lot of intensive physical training.

"If my brother runs five kilometers, I run seven kilometers. And after he finishes riding, I ride for another half-hour," she says, adding that with any drill, she has to push herself to the limit.

"I often tell my classmates that I'm not having fun out there. They may be feeling tired physically and mentally because of their studies, but it's worse for me during training."

Wang says of her daughter: "I used to think she was just a delicate little girl, but since she's ridden motorcycles she's become tougher and stronger."

As for Lianyina, she sees motocross racing as her life and future.

"There's no way back. I think I'll keep racing, and nothing will stop me."