Guangdong athletes are overcoming physical challenges to train for the upcoming National Games, co-hosted on their home turf alongside Hong Kong and Macao

For athletes with disabilities in Guangdong province, the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games offer an exciting opportunity to showcase their talents on home soil.

Held every four years alongside the National Games, this year’s events will take place from Dec 8-15, featuring a total of 46 competitions. The National Games for Persons with Disabilities will include 26 sports events under the International Paralympic Committee, along with 11 mass participation events. Meanwhile, the National Special Olympic Games will feature nine sports competitions for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

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A highlight of this edition is the debut of the paratriathlon — a demanding endurance sport that combines swimming, cycling, and running. Guangdong athletes Li Yizong and Luo Qiuheng have intensified their training to enhance balance control, enduring a routine of scrapes, healing, and fresh bruises. This event will be held in Zhaoqing.

Wheelchair basketball, which will be held at Guangzhou Gymnasium, remains a strong tradition for Guangdong, with eight players from the province among the national women’s team that secured a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Players adhere to standard court sizes and basket heights, executing passes, defensive moves, and shots. Similar to the “two-step” rule in standing basketball, players can push their wheelchair twice before needing to dribble the ball.

This year’s fencing event will take place in Hong Kong, a city known for its fencing and wheelchair-fencing excellence. Guangdong’s wheelchair fencers are determined to present a formidable challenge.

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At the swimming pool, athletes train nearly year-round, spending five to six hours daily in the water. One-armed swimers like Fang Jinxiang, who face daily mobility challenges and often require mutual assistance to don their swim caps, will exhibit explosive strength as they dive into the pool.

Organizers have emphasized that successfully hosting these events marks a major milestone in advancing sports and welfare initiatives for people with disabilities. Efforts have been made to improve public facilities, creating a high-quality, barrier-free urban environment for both athletes and spectators.