By CGTN's Zhang Yang
The 2017 Winter Special Olympics World Games kicks off in Austria this week. Seventy-six Chinese athletes will compete at the multi-sport event for people with intellectual disabilities. With such handicaps, the athletes must overcome many difficulties in training.
Take figure skating, for example. This is a beautiful but difficult sport to master. For athletes with intellectual disabilities, it only becomes harder.
"They might not be able to accomplish some of the moves, and fall repeatedly. They must work very hard to improve," said coach Wang Benhe.
Two-time Winter Olympics champion Yang Yang (right) skates with a child with intellectual disabilities in Shanghai. /CFP Photo
Wang Zheng, 30, is the oldest among the figure skaters in the Chinese delegation. In his 17 years' practicing, Wang has represented China at four international events. According to his mother, Yuan Lihua, sport has had a positive impact in her boy’s life.
"We parents feel so much better seeing the big changes in him. We're happy as long as our child is happy," said Yuan.
Wang has the intelligence of a third- or fourth-grade student. He and many of his fellow skaters have difficulty taking care of themselves. So their parents accompany them throughout training, allowing the athletes to concentrate on getting ready for the World Winter Games.
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