Curlers leaving no stone unturned

'Sense of achievement'

Team China's wheelchair curling team currently consists of 12 athletes, but only five will be selected to compete at the 2022 Games. With an average age of around 30, most of the curlers come from the provinces of Heilongjiang and Hebei, and Beijing.

Captain Wang was born into a family of corn farmers in Yilan county, Heilongjiang. After being diagnosed with acute myelitis when he was 9, he lost the ability to walk.

Having been inspired by the feats of para athletes on TV, he took up curling and joined the national team in 2008.He credits the sport with having a transformational effect on his confidence.

"I used to feel embarrassed when I would meet visitors to my parents' home, and would hide myself in my room. On the curling ice, I found a sense of achievement," he said.

Teammate Zhang, 33, has been on a similar journey. He contracted polio when he was 3 and soon couldn't walk independently. He joined the national squad in 2017 after quitting his home-appliance repair business in Beijing, and was a member of the team that won gold at the 2019 world championships in Scotland.

"Since I started curling, I feel that I have a purpose, especially when I see China's national flag being raised in the stadium. Now, I just want to focus on improving my curling skills until I retire," he said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team has been unable to compete or train overseas, but coach Yue is determined not to let that hamper her squad's preparations.

"By focusing on our training and giving our utmost, good results will follow," she said.