Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of two, Li Zhangyu faced significant challenges early in life. While riding his first bicycle at the age of five, Li often fell due to poor coordination. Instead of giving up, he always got back on the bike and continued to pedal.
Since then, bicycles have become Li’s most important “partner.” He often participated in a local competition for para-cyclists. In 2008, his talent finally caught the eye of coaches.
Becoming a professional cyclist meant constantly battling against his own physical limitations, but Li was undeterred. He was committed to rigorous training, cycling over 100 kilometers daily.
His outstanding performances at national tournaments earned him a spot on the national team in 2010. Since then, he has consistently excelled on the international stage, winning consecutive gold medals in track cycling at the London, Rio and Tokyo Paralympics.
On Thursday, Li, 36 years old, broke the world record and won China’s first gold medal at the Paris Paralympics in the men’s C1 3,000m individual pursuit, continuing his remarkable career.
People with disabilities are equal members of society and an important force in the development of human civilization, as Chinese President Xi Jinping once pointed out.
Since the 18th Communist Party of China National Congress, China, under Xi’s leadership, has adhered to the principle of “putting people at the center” and incorporates para-sports into national strategies such as Building a Sports Powerhouse and Healthy China 2030, elevating the development of sports for people with disabilities to a new level.
Shining on the stage
After the era of reform and opening up, para-sports in China have grown rapidly, and competitive sports have ventured onto the international stage.
The year 1984 marked a significant milestone in China’s para-sports. That year, the 1st National Para Games of China was inaugurated, gradually evolving into a grand quadrennial gathering for individuals with disabilities.
In the same year, China sent its first delegation to the Paralympic Games, thereby initiating the “Paralympic legend” of Chinese athletes with disabilities, characterized by confidence, optimism and courageous determination.
At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, Chinese athletes topped the gold medal and overall medal tallies for the fifth consecutive Summer Paralympics.
According to official data, during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), the Chinese sports delegation participated in a total of 160 international events for persons with disabilities and won 1,114 gold medals.
Meanwhile, China’s athletes with disabilities also began to explore new territories in the Winter Paralympics.
At the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, the Chinese delegation achieved 18 gold, 20 silver, and 23 bronze medals. For the first time in history, China topped both the gold and overall medal standings at a Winter Paralympic Games, marking a historic milestone.
“With concrete actions, our athletes and coaches also fulfilled the requirements of winning competitions with sports ethics, sportsmanship and integrity,” Xi said at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics review and awards ceremony. “They demonstrated the Olympic spirit and China’s sporting spirit and achieved successes in both sports competition and sports ethics.”
On August 21, the Chinese Paralympic delegation departed for Paris to participate in the 2024 Paralympic Games. The delegation, consisting of 516 members, including 284 athletes, will compete in 19 sports across 302 events.
Better life for people with disabilities
China has approximately 85 million people living with disabilities. Over the years, Xi has placed particular care and attention on them, inspiring many individuals with disabilities to chase their dreams.
The goals of “equality, participation and sharing” for people with disabilities are better realized, and they have gained an increasing sense of happiness and security.
An outline for “Healthy China 2030” issued in 2016 highlights that disability prevention and rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities have improved. In 2016, the Chinese government published the National Action Plan on Disability Prevention (2016-2020), and in 2017, the Regulations on Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation brought the work onto the track of the rule of law.
In a bid to promote the participation of people with disabilities in grassroots fitness activities and competitive sports, China has extended rehabilitation activities and fitness sports services to communities through government procurement.
The participation rate in grassroots cultural and sports activities for persons with disabilities in China has spiraled, from 6.8 percent in 2015 to 23.9 percent in 2021, according to a white paper titled “China’s Para-sports: Progress and the Protection of Rights” in 2022.
In addition, people with disabilities in China have seen their access to education and employment steadily increase. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, more than 60,000 students with disabilities enrolled in higher education institutions. In 2020, approximately 8.62 million people with disabilities were employed.
China will continually promote the free accessibility of public sports facilities to people with disabilities and provide convenience and care for them, and will consider disability sports and fitness as an important component of the overall national fitness program.
“If people in sound physical condition can live brilliant lives, people with disabilities can do that as well,” Xi said during a 2016 visit to a paraplegic rehabilitation center in Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province.