Blind twins running to chase their dream of national glory

NANJING－The biting chill of an early winter morning in East China could hardly slow down Lu Wenkai and Lu Wenxuan, as the twin brothers, 23, despite being born blind, were immersed in running laps and firmly set on crossing the finish line.

The tension and stress in running races dissipated as they have accomplished their New Year's resolution, which was to win gold medals in the National Games for Persons with Disabilities this year. "We are still thrilled. It's such a great feeling when your efforts pay off," says older brother Lu Wenkai, who claimed first place in the 1,500 meters T11 event in late October, while his brother won gold in the 10,000 meters T11 event.

The visually impaired brothers wore their medals and touched them so many times that they know the patterns on the surface by heart.

"We often lend them to other blind teammates at our training center and they love to wear them. It's not only about honor, but also an inspiration," Lu Wenkai says.

The twin brothers started their athletic career seven years ago at a sports training base for the disabled in Jiangsu province after they completed their studies at a local school for the blind.

"We had a teacher at our school, who happened to be a track-and-field coach at the base and he thought we had talent," Lu Wenkai says, adding that they are always grateful for the teacher's decision to let them have a go at the sport.

"At first, I was so timid and often had moments of self-doubt, thinking that it's so difficult to run in the dark," says younger brother Lu Wenxuan. "But when I finished my first marathon, the feeling of accomplishment was amazing. It built my confidence.

"It was then that I realized that I could compete with others, because even sighted people might not find it easy to run a marathon," he says.

In order to maintain physical stamina after being enrolled in the middle- and long-distance events, they need to train every day. "My brother is good at 800 meters and 1,500 meters, while I am better in 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and the marathon," says Lu Wenxuan.

"Before claiming the titles at the National Games, we had done pretty well, including winning at nationwide championships," says Lu Wenkai.

According to the China Association of the Blind, the country's visually impaired population currently totals more than 17 million. Most of them are employed in the massage business, but stories of the two brothers have proved other possibilities are available.

"Running on the track opens new doors for us, as we can travel to different places and meet different people, and most importantly, it fuels our hopes and dreams," says Lu Wenkai.

They followed Su Bingtian's competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games. He is "our hero", say the brothers. Su ran 9.83 seconds in the semifinals of the men's 100 meters in Tokyo, setting an Asian record.

Running is their life, and they hope to someday compete in the Olympic Games, travel the world and win glory for the nation, the brothers say with conviction.

Xinhua