Chinese swimmer Zhang Xiaotong is riding a wave of resilience as she prepares for the 2024 Paris Paralympics 🌊—three years after losing her vision completely. Her story? A testament to grit, courage, and the power of never backing down.
Zhang, who won gold at Rio 2016 with a record-breaking swim, faced her toughest challenge in 2020: a diagnosis of neovascular glaucoma (NVG). Doctors warned her to stop training, but she refused to abandon her Tokyo Paralympic dreams. 💔 Despite surgery, she lost her sight entirely just months before the Games, forcing her to withdraw.
But darkness couldn’t dim her fire 🔥. With headphones guiding her through coach’s instructions, Zhang retrained her body and mind. 'I had to trust my instincts,' she shared. Last year, she stunned fans at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, bagging six medals 🥇🥈🥉—proving she’s stronger than ever.
'This time in Paris, I’m fighting for the podium again,' Zhang told China Media Group. Her message to the world? 🗣️ 'Life’s setbacks are just new starting lines.'
