Para-athletes prep for powder prizes

Natural talent

To find a new challenge, Wu started learning to snowboard in 2018.

Jurica Stankovic, head coach of the snowboarding team, watched Wu reach the finish line in style during a training session at Chongli's Genting Snow Park.

"Wu is one of the best snowboard cross athletes in the team because he's a humble learner and naturally talented. If he covered up his metal artificial limb, no one would be able to tell that the cool snowboarder in front of them has such a severe disability," he said.

There are around 40 different terrain features at the park's training base for snowboard cross, including five turns and eight different jumps with a vertical drop of 200 meters, according to the 43-year-old veteran Serbian snowboarder.

Para-snowboarding was the last sport added to the Winter Paralympic Games in 2014. During the rides, Wu can reach 90 kilometers per hour and can complete the course in about 1 minute 20 seconds.

"He is the real 'terminator'," said Stankovic, adding that it is the first time he has coached para-athletes.

He praised their determination."Para-athletes might fall more than able-bodied snowboarders when mastering a technique. Also, it takes longer to adjust the snowboards and bindings so they can find the most comfortable positions, as their disabilities affect the way they control their bodies," he said.

"But they are never afraid of pushing their limits, so I have to keep making the course more difficult. More important, they can inspire more people with disabilities to learn what they are capable of. I believe that's more important than winning gold medals at the Winter Paralympics."

Zhu Dewen, leader of the coaching team for China's paralympic skiing squad, said he has witnessed how para-athletes gradually become more confident and optimistic through sports.

"We have a cross-country skier who had both arms amputated, who didn't like to communicate with people when he first joined the team in 2006. By competing around the world and gaining other people's respect, he has opened up and become a different person," said Zhu, who has been coaching para-athletes since 2002.

He added that Beijing's 2015 winning bid to host the Games－which will be held from March 4 to 13 next year－has created great opportunities for para-athletes to thrive in winter sports as they can receive more support than ever before.

China has only managed to take one gold medal in previous Winter Paralympic Games.

In addition to investing to improve access to course facilities, China has launched several scientific research programs to refine skiing equipment for para-athletes and help them train better and more safely, said Zhu, who is with the team in Chongli.

For the team, every training session is valuable because the skiing season will end soon.