After Hu Mingyao helped China claim gold in goalball at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, in October 2023, he proposed to his girlfriend.

On August 1, he became a father to a baby girl.

"It's a quick change of identity," Hu told the China Media Group (CMG). "There were happy surprises, expectations, but also fears. My feelings were complicated."

Hu has been preparing for the upcoming 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics for months in Hangzhou. China will send six male and six females to participate in the sport in the French capital. Hu, a 29-year-old veteran, worked just as hard as his teammates in practice.

In goalball, players can't see anything and have to determine the ball's position using hearing and touch. As a result, decicated players like Hu often end up with bruises all over their bodies after practice, due to being repeatedly hit by the ball.

Meanwhile, Hu's wife lived near the training base and went to show support for him in practice every day.

"There was very limited time I could spend with her because of what I do," Hu said.

China secured silver in goalball at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. The team's main competition in Paris will most likely be defending champion Brazil.

"Brazil are still out biggest opponents this time," Hu told CMG. "They are the reigning Paralympic gold medalists and won the World Championships. We lost to them at both events."

This time, he wants a different result.

When asked about her biggest wish for Hu, his wife said she hopes he get what he's been chasing and returns home safely.