Xu Yaping

Xu Yaping, world canoeing champion, has recently caught media attention for joining rescue work in a typhoon-hit city in east China's Zhejiang Province.

A photo of Xu wearing a lifejacket and cap and looking exhausted after 10 hours' work saving people from floods in Zhejiang has gone viral on Weibo, a popular social media platform.

Typhoon Lekima landed in Zhejiang on August 10. On the night of August 10, the Linhai City Public Security Bureau asked the public to lend steamboats for rescue work on social media.

Seeing the call for help, Xu, now an aquatic sports teacher at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, contacted professional rescuers, formed a five-person team and headed for Linhai.

After more than 10 hours fighting flood, Xu and her team helped more than 30 people to safe places.