Zhu Yunfeng steps back, plants his pivot foot and does a consummate twirl before hitting a faultless jump shot. Rarely have gift and resolve collaborated as breathtakingly as they do in Zhu's case. And it beggars belief that the 25-year-old youth would dominate the basketball court – on one leg.  

Clips of Zhu playing hoops have gone viral on social media, showing him performing an assortment of tricks and moves in spite of his physical disability. A native of east China's Jiangxi Province, Zhu lost his right leg in an accident when he was only 2 years old. Nevertheless, he took a glass-half-full approach to life and developed a deep fondness for sports. 

With a burning desire to lead a normal life, Zhu overcame tremendous adversity, obstacles and difficult odds to learn how to swim, jump, climb and, of course, play basketball. The freedom of expressing himself in sports and the addiction of achieving intoxicated him. The incredible dexterity, stamina and explosive power that he possesses at a tender age were clear for all to see. 

Zhu's athletic potential quickly attracted the attention of several professional coaches and after a few years of intense training, he was drafted to represent Jiangxi in a high jump event at the national para athletics championship in 2017.  

The young prospect handled his first ever major tournament with the same poise he displayed as a child and brought home a bronze medal. Two years later, he went one step further, bagging a silver in the same event at the 10th national games for persons with disabilities. 

Right after the national games, Zhu earned a golden opportunity to show his talent on a bigger stage as he received a call-up to the Chinese national cross-country skiing team, which has been scouting promising talents for the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics.

Faced with the daunting task of having to learn a new sport in a short span of time, Zhu didn't flinch at all. He traveled to northeast China's Heilongjiang Province to receive professional training and gradually accustomed himself to the extreme cold weather. He digested every single word his tutors said and woke up at 6 every morning to start his intense full-day exercises. 

Zhu's admirable efforts have paid off. Last month, he burst onto the scene with a brilliant performance to win a bronze medal in the men's 13-kilometer sitting biathlon and finished fourth in the men's 3.9-kilometer sitting biathlon at the 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities.  

However, for Zhu, the real challenge is yet to come, and with the Winter Games fast approaching, he is in a race against time to become even stronger. "I've always dreamed of going to the Beijing 2022 and standing on the Paralympic podium," he beamed. "I will work extra hard to achieve this goal."