"Victory in Pyeongchang is history. Let's start over in Beijing," says the banner on the wall of the training venue for the Chinese wheelchair curling team in the China Administration of Sports for Persons with Disabilities in Beijing.

Back in 2018 in Pyeongchang, the team constituted only 11 years ago, defeated Norway 6-5 in the final to win both the first medal and first gold medal for Team China at the Winter Paralympics.

The team only took a short break and returned to training again. "Winning the gold medal was history to the Chinese wheelchair curling team the moment they stepped down the podium in PyeongChang 2018," standing deputy team leader Hu Junfu said. "Preparing for the 2022 Winter Paralympics is priority for the team in the following four years."

After four rounds of training camps, the team has cut its size from over 20 to 12 players. However, the coaching staff has been growing from two to a large group of different people with various duties.

Hu said they were the challengers in Pyeongchang, but as the reigning champions, the team became a target of all other teams. Therefore, they must work harder to grow stronger.

As the captain of the team, Wang Haijian saw pressure as motivation. "If we can't handle this pressure, how can we be athletes?" Wang said.
Having been unable to stand since he was eight months old due to polio, Wang was shocked when he saw on TV how athletes competed in the Paralympic Games.

"They worked so hard with so much passion on the field. Their disabilities could never overshadow the light shined by their exciting life. I told myself, I couldn't muddle along all day. I must make a difference," Wang said.

Unlike curling athletes at the Olympics, wheelchair curling athletes must adapt many moves to their disabilities. As a young team, there was limited help that coaches could provide, so Wang and his teammates must explore their own way as well.

"Curling is no longer just a skill or a method to earn a living," national team member Liu Wei said. "It’s the meaning of our life and a key to understand it."

Chen Jianxin used to be a wheelchair fencer. When he learnt that the 2022 Winter Paralympics will happen in China, he decided to join the wheelchair curling team. "I was born, raised and trained in Beijing," Chen said. "The 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are literally happening at my home. My biggest wish is to win the title at home."

In late October, the Chinese national team made breakthrough again by defeating Sweden 5-3 in the World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2021 final at Beijing's "Ice Cube." It's a very good sign before hosting the best teams from all over the world at home in March 2022.

But what happened before is the past. Team China always aims for the future.

(Top image designed by CGTN's Feng Yuan)