Zhu’s bravery wins silver
Vision-impaired athlete takes China’s first-ever Paralympic medal in para Alpine skiing
After crossing the finish line of the women’s downhill vision-impaired race on March 5, Zhu Daqing grimaced in pain and put one hand to her chest — evidence of the injury she sustained in a high-speed training run crash just days before at the National Alpine Skiing Centre in Beijing’s Yanqing district.
Zhu’s bravery yielded a silver — China’s first-ever Paralympic medal in para Alpine skiing.
“I am grateful to my country and our leaders for building such a platform so that we have the chance to perform better. I am just super excited right now,” said the 32-year-old, who on March 6 claimed bronze in the women’s Super-G VI.
“We have prepared for so long. Our coaches, support staff and others have put so much into this,” Zhu said. “I regard every race as my training. You reap what you sow.”
The gold medal went to Henrieta Farkasova of Slovakia, and bronze to Menna Fitzpatrick of Britain.
Zhu, who has congenital amblyopia, took up competitive sports in 2003. As a former sprinter, she won bronze in T12 200m at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. In 2008, she missed the Beijing Paralympics because of her worsening vision.
Now she has found a new lease of life in Alpine skiing.
“I started to practice Alpine skiing three years ago. I deeply love competitive sports and don’t want to leave this stage,” she said.
Zhu believes her impairment has actually helped her avoid the fear of speeding downhill that can afflict some people on the slopes.
“When I started training, because
I could not see the obstacles and the trail clearly, I had no problem with the speed,” she said.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that what Zhu does is not dangerous — as a tumble she took in her opening training run on March 3 illustrated.
“The sunlight was so strong that I suddenly lost my sight and hit the
protective barrier at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour,” she said.
“Because it is difficult for me to lock onto the target, I need to cooperate with my ‘eyes’, that is my leading skier,” she added.
Zhu is guided down the slopes by 23-year-old Yan Hanhan, a former Team China Alpine skier.
The two have such a good connection that Zhu said Yan deserves half the credit for the medal.
“We talk through the headset, and I describe the route for her in front, keeping a consistent distance between us, observing and ensuring that she can slide down smoothly,” Yan said.
“Through years of cooperation we have developed a very tacit understanding,” he added. “I have also been impressed by her toughness and resilience, and her determination to keep training even after her injury.”
The self-effacing Zhu was keen to play down her heroic effort. “I believe that confronting difficulties is much easier than confronting regrets,” she said.
“We hope to represent China’s 1.4 billion people and 85 million people with disabilities. Standing at the start gate at the Winter Paralympics is a great honor for us already,” she said.
Zhu was set to compete for more glory over the coming days — in the women’s slalom, giant slalom, and super combined.
On March 6, Chinese skier Zhang Mengqiu wrote more history by clinching China’s first Paralympic gold in Alpine skiing with victory in the women’s super-G standing race.
When was dashing on the last slope of the “Rock” course of the Chinese National Alpine Skiing Centre, she threw the attendances and volunteers near the finish gate into a frenzy.
The girl who is going to celebrate her 20th birthday in three days, clocked a winning time of one minute 13.54 seconds at the women’s super-G standing race to win China’s first-ever Alpine skiing gold at Winter Paralympics.
“I like the golden Shuey Rhon Rhon,” Zhang Mengqiu said.
I hope the gold can let more people know that efforts eventually will be turned into rewards,” she said.
France’s legend and eight-time Paralympic champion Marie Bochet, settled for silver. Canadian Alana Ramsay collected bronze.