Wang Lili wants to show what Chinese rowers can do at 2024 Paralympics

Wang Lili, a veteran Chinese para rower who will soon turn 42, is set to compete at the Summer Paralympics for the second time when the 2024 edition gets underway in Paris on August 28. Despite her age, she wants to impress the world with her performance.

Born in Dongyang, east China's Zhejiang Province in 1982, Wang came down with polio when she was just 10 months old and the illness led to disability in her lower body. After working as an accountant until she was 28, Wang competed in sculls in the women's singles and mixed doubles (with partner Fei Tianming) categories at the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics and took home two silver medals.

Para rowing is considered an ultimate test of an athlete's power and endurance, with practicing on the water during the summer months being especially tough due to high temperatures. Rowers have to tie themselves to their boats and their coaches must be there next to them to protect the athletes from various risks, including dehydration and heat-related illnesses.

Although Wang had to overcome all kinds of pain, she said she felt happiness and satisfaction from rowing, which inspires her to stick with the sport.

China will send eight rowers and two coaches to participate in three events at the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics: PR1 women's single sculls, PR2 mixed double sculls and PR3 mixed coxed fours.

"I notice that I laugh more often since I started rowing, more than I used to when I stayed at home," Wang told the China Media Group. "Even though I grew up in an environment that helped me become a mentally healthy person, I always felt a sense of inferiority because of my disability. But after I started rowing, I realized that everybody is the same here, which helped me become more outgoing and confident."