Disability no hurdle for this Songjiang athlete
Li Weichun runs at the Para Olympics in Athens in 2004.
Li Weichun was born with cerebral palsy. His legs are of different lengths and his left arm is partially dysfunctional.
Nobody ever expected that one day he would become a star in the athletic field.
"When I am running, I don't feel I'm disabled any more. I feel delighted," said Li.
Li, the second son of a Li family in Zhaowang Village in Songjiang District's Xinbang Town, was born in March 1979. That was one year after China launched its opening-up policy and its people were confident about and optimistic about their future.
"Let us name him 'weichun (a guard of the spring)'," said Li's parents.
When he was a toddler, people found him often losing his balance.
When children of his age were able to run and jump, he was still not able to walk normally, with his left arm permanently dangling in front of his chest.
It was not until years later that Li learned how to "walk." Yet his left foot was still not able to land totally on the ground. His childhood friends laughed at him, yet Li still liked to play with them: searching for food in the field, or catching cicadas in the trees together.
"My friends thought I was somehow terrific. They ran several meters ahead of me. Though I lagged behind at first, I was able to catch up with them finally," Li recalled.
Li Weichun's medals and certificates from his many victories on the field
The 5th National Games of Disabled Persons of China took place in Shanghai in 2000. In 1999, Shanghai started to select competitors for the event.
"Your son looks athletic. Will he have a try?" An acquaintance asked Li's father at the time.
When Li's father asked his son, Li replied: "Why not?"
With a height of 1.65 meters, Li failed at the beginning.
But he was selected as an alternate candidate after a fellow competitor dropped out.
Li set out at 7am from home every day and joined the district's running team at 8:30am.
He was strict with himself. When other athletes finished their six sets of exercises and rested, Li increased his own load by two or four more sets.
He could soon do eight squat lifts bearing a weight of 60 kilograms. When he started, he could only do two.
On November 11, 1999, Li represented Songjiang in the 5th Shanghai Games of Disabled Persons and won bronze in the 1,500-meters.
In May 2000, Li competed at the national level representing Shanghai in the 1,500-meter race, the 400m race and the 3-meter long jump – and won two golds and a bronze.
When he joined the national team as a long-distance runner, he was also scouted for his talent with the javelin.
During a Javelin World Championship in France, Li won a silver medal after he threw the javelin more than 41 meters.
Li retired in 2015 after competing in many competitions in javelin, long-distance running, short-distance running, relays and the long jump.
His career as a professional athlete built up his perseverance and encouraged him to open up to others.
He is now more willing to chat and tell jokes.
Li got married in 2009 and they have a son.
Li is now a staff worker with the Xinbang Disabled Persons Service Center.
He joined the pandemic fight in late March and spent more than 50 days as a frontline volunteer.
He still visits the Songjiang Stadium regularly.
"I lead a stable and happy life now. Sports turns people healthier. It also benefits disabled people," he said.
"I hope one day I can help a group of disabled children with sports training," he added, looking out over the renovated tracks of the Songjiang Stadium.
