On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, track & field events kicked off at the 12th National Paralympic Games in Guangzhou, southern Guangdong Province of the Chinese mainland. The stadium buzzed with energy as a traditional Yingge, dragon, and lion dance 🐉🦁🏮 welcomed athletes and coaches, before China Disabled Persons' Federation Chairman Cheng Kai officially opened the competition.
In the women's 100m T64 final, local sprinter Jiang Yanhong blitzed to a 14.99-second finish on her Games debut, clinching the gold medal 🥇 and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The men's 100m T63 final saw Liaoning's Zhang Qinghong top the podium and shatter the national record with a blistering 14.52 seconds 🏅. Despite a dramatic trip as he crossed the line, Zhang leapt back up to celebrate with his fellow competitors.
Reflecting on his victory, Zhang shared: “I pressed forward too hard with my center of gravity when I touched the finish line and couldn't control it. So I fell down. I feel so happy and so excited right now because four years of my efforts have paid off. We have to overcome a lot of difficulties in training because we wear prostheses. If we don't pay enough attention to controlling our center of gravity, we may fall. There are other problems like chafing in the stump. But I have beaten them and made the past four years of hard work worth it.”
With emotions running high and records tumbling, these performances set a thrilling tone for the rest of the Games. Stay tuned as more athletes chase their dreams in Guangzhou! 🌟
Reference(s):
Track and field events begin at 12th National Paralympic Games
cgtn.com
