Through a series of tailored projects, newly upgraded initiative seeks to inspire female participation in school sports, Xing Wen reports.

From Olympic glory to golden goals, women in sports have recently been enjoying a brighter spotlight than usual, with many of them catapulting to fame and becoming influential role models in China.

People have been captivated by the stellar performances of female athletes at the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and that glorious night of Feb 6, when the Chinese women's soccer team, nicknamed the "steel roses" by their fans, won the AFC Women's Asian Cup final with a stunning three-goal, second-half comeback.

Soccer player Wang Shanshan, who was named the competition's Most Valuable Player, is among the sporting role models that are inspiring the next generation of girls.

"I hope that a growing number of people can be inspired by the spirit of the Chinese women's soccer team and become more involved in the sport," Wang says in an online interview.

Her comments come after she attended the launch ceremony of an upgraded version of a female empowerment project－Boundless Girls, which aims to encourage greater participation of female teenagers in sports－earlier in this month with other female sports stars, including swimmer Liu Xiang and retired tennis player Li Na.

"I look forward to seeing more girls tap their potential in sports with the support of the project," Wang says.

"Sports will help them to increase their self-confidence and get a clearer view of what they want in the future."