Gold medalist Yuan Weiyi (C), silver medalist Guo Jincheng (R), bronze medalist Wang Lichao of China pose for photo after the awarding ceremony of the men's 50m backstroke S5 final of swimming at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France, Sept. 3, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
After losing both arms at eight, Yuan Weiyi was inspired by Paralympic legend He Junquan. Now at 24, Yuan added two gold and two silver medals to his name at the Paris Paralympics, hoping to inspire others through his journey.
PARIS -- Chinese para swimmer Yuan Weiyi found inspiration in Paralympic champion He Junquan after losing both of his arms 18 years ago. Now at the age of 24, Yuan aims to inspire more people with his strength.
Yuan's impressive performance at the Paris Paralympic Games saw him finish second in the men's 50m butterfly S5 final on Friday, adding to his overall tally of two gold medals and two silver medals.
"I'm satisfied with my results in general," said Yuan, who made his debut to the Paralympics in Tokyo where he grabbed one relay gold and two individual medals.
"I have been working very hard in the past three years. I didn't perform well in Tokyo. It's kind of a failure for me. So I tried my best to improve in every detail. Sometimes I suffered setbacks during training. I kept asking myself if I had done enough."
Yuan's life took a drastic turn at the age of eight when he suffered a severe electrical shock, resulting in the loss of both his arms.
"When I was at hospital, I watched the swimming competition of the Beijing Paralympics on TV. I was inspired a lot by He Junquan and many other athletes," he recalled.
Yuan Weiyi competes during the men's 50m backstroke S5 final at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Sept. 3, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
He Junquan, a para swimmer who also faced the challenge of not having arms, participated in four Paralympic Games and collected seven golds, three silvers and two bronze medals.
Yuan's father left a message on He's blog and received a reply from the prolific Paralympian just in a few days, where He encouraged Yuan to become more independent in his daily life. Yuan then tried to write and put on clothes using his feet, and he learned fast.
Motivated by his encounter with He Junquan, Yuan expressed his desire to learn swimming. In 2009, He Junquan introduced a coach to Yuan, marking the beginning of his swimming journey.
"Swimming helps me a lot," said Yuan. "It makes me more confident, more outgoing and more positive. It's not an easy journey to deal with the handicap, but sports give me a push to overcome all the difficulties."
In the spirit of passing on the strength he gained from his sources of inspiration, Yuan aspires to inspire others with disabilities, just as He Junquan did for him.
"I got the strength through the inspiration and I want to pass it rather than keep it on my own."
For years, Yuan has dedicated himself to assisting a pair of young sisters in his hometown, providing financial support for their education and essential needs.
"I was born in the countryside. I know some kids there would work hard for their dreams but lack of financial support. I want to help them with all my efforts."