HANGZHOU, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) — With her paddle slicing by means of the water swiftly, 37-year-old Chinese canoeist Xie Maosan loved a major lead within the ladies’s KL1 canoe remaining and captured the primary gold medal of the 4th Asian Para Games on Monday.
Xie end the 200-meter race in 55.478 seconds, effectively forward of nearest rival Monika Seryu of Japan and Iran’s Sara Abdolmaleki.
“I’m extremely thrilled to have won this gold medal. It’s an honor to bring glory to my homeland,” mentioned Xie.
Born to a rural household in Anhui province in 1986 and by Poliomyelitis, Xie could not stroll earlier than the age of 10. Throughout her childhood, as she recalled, the chilly stares of kin and mockery from classmates made her extra decided to show herself.
In her teenagers, with the help and understanding of her mom, Xie determined to grasp a craft to make a dwelling. She packed up her belongings, went to the county to be taught tailoring for 3 years, after which grew to become a tailor. Later, she went to Shanghai to be taught CAD pattern-making.
“Regardless of the career path I choose, I always push myself harder. I want to prove to everyone that we are equally capable,” she shared on the post-race press convention, tears in her eyes.
In 2015, destiny beckoned when news reached her of the nationwide workforce’s seek for canoeing abilities. Without hesitation, she volunteered, and at 29, she joined the nationwide canoeing workforce.
Recalling her preliminary days, Xie mentioned, “Lacking a foundation in sports, it was truly painful for me at the beginning. I capsized and fell into the water multiple times during training. Not knowing how to swim, I almost passed out from choking on water.”
Despite all of the hardships, want to win glory for her nation stored Xie going. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Xie completed fifth within the ladies’s KL1 canoeing remaining.
Life hasn’t all the time dealt her a good hand, but deep inside, fervent ambition blazes.
“As for me, canoeing is a rebirth, as it gave me confidence and a new life,” mentioned Xie.
With the Paris Paralympics lower than one yr to go, Xie has set her sights on the Paralympic Games.
“I will try my best to raise our national flag on the international stage!” she mentioned.