"Fastest Nurse" Zhang Shuihua announces resignation to focus solely on marathons, colleagues feel happier

On January 3rd Beijing time, news emerged last night that Zhang Shuihua, dubbed the "fastest nurse," suddenly made a significant decision to quit her long-term nursing position to pursue marathon running full-time. This action caused a huge stir online, with many people seeing it as beneficial for both sides—Zhang freed from hospital restrictions, and her coworkers no longer disrupted by schedule changes!

Everyone knows Zhang Shuihua is a hospital nurse, which is her main profession, but she has a passion for running marathons. Because nurses have irregular rest times, Zhang had to swap shifts with colleagues to participate in marathons. Occasional shift swaps might be acceptable, but frequent changes can strain relationships among coworkers!

However, Zhang Shuihua truly excels in marathons. In August 2025, she won the Harbin Marathon championship, which made her famous under the title "female nurse." At the same time, this victory sparked public controversy. Many netizens criticized her for neglecting her nursing duties and argued she should focus on her primary job rather than running marathons. What made it worse was that she reportedly asked the hospital to approve shift swaps for her marathon training, which the hospital firmly denied and even disciplined Zhang!

The punishment didn’t seem to deter Zhang Shuihua from running marathons. On January 1st, at the Dongji Marathon, she braved the icy cold and broke the event record by finishing first, winning a prize of 15,000 RMB. This victory further boosted her popularity, leading many online supporters to urge her to quit nursing and become a full-time marathon runner!

And now it has happened: Zhang Shuihua posted a video on her social media announcing her resignation. She said, "I am grateful to the hospital for their training, to my colleagues for their tolerance and support, and also thankful for the criticism and advice I received during this time. In the future, I will carry this courage and passion for running with me as I continue alongside everyone."

So far, Zhang Shuihua’s resignation seems like the right choice. After all, she truly has the talent, and running marathons is a good path that could earn her more income. With growing fame, she might even engage in endorsements. This way, she won’t negatively impact the hospital or her colleagues, which is a win for everyone. However, without the nurse title, whether Zhang can continue to rise in popularity remains to be seen!

Written by / Sports Fiction