In Rio de Janeiro, the atmosphere at the Paralympic swimming competition was enthusiastic. By the pool, a slender young female contestant attracted the attention of the audience. Her name is Qian Hongyan and she is only 23 years old.
When she took off her coat to reveal her specially made swimming gear, the audience was surprised to see that she had no legs.
After a whistle, athlete Qian Hongyan jumped into the water gracefully like a fish. Her swimming style was vigorous and powerful, and her physical defects seemed to disappear, and everyone present was amazed.
In the end, she finished the race in fourth place, and the audience applauded thunderously.
In the audience in the stands, many people recalled the little girl who sat on half a basketball and staggered forward many years ago. Who would have thought that after all these years, she would return to the public eye in such an amazing way? Everyone can't help but wonder, what kind of transformation has this "basketball girl" who once moved China have undergone over the years?
Back 20 years, we came to a small village in Yunnan Province. In this place, 4-year-old Qian Hongyan is the pearl of the family, innocent and loved by her family. However, fate is unpredictable, and an accident changes the little girl's life.
It was an ordinary afternoon, sunny and breezy. Qian Hongyan and her friends frolicked and played on the side of the road in the village, laughing and laughing. Suddenly, Qian Hongyan's shoes loosened and fell in the middle of the road.
The two little ones had no sense of danger, squatting in the middle of the road to pick up their shoes, and in these few seconds, a speeding truck changed everything.
The truck driver didn't notice the two tiny figures crouching in the middle of the road, and it was too late by the screeching of brakes. Qian Hongyan's lower body was caught in the wheel, and her little friend lost her life on the spot.
After receiving the news, Qian Hongyan's father carried his daughter to the hospital like a knife. Outside the operating room, the doctor asked him sternly, "Do you want to save your life or your leg?" This question was like a bolt from the blue, which made Dad Qian fall into extreme pain and struggle.
In the end, for the sake of his daughter's life, he made a choice with tears in his eyes.
After the high amputation, Qian Hongyan changed from an active and cheerful girl to a taciturn "little pitiful". She holds a cat all day and has no interest in the world around her. Seeing his granddaughter like this, Grandpa Qian was so distressed that he decided to do his best to help his granddaughter return to normal life.
The Qian family was not wealthy and could not afford to buy a wheelchair. In desperation, Grandpa Qian came up with a solution. He collected a piece of worn-out basketball skin, cut it into a semicircle, and made a wooden handle with his own hands.
In this way, a simple and loving "basketball wheelchair" was born.
Since then, Qian Hongyan has sat in this special "wheelchair" to go to school, and has reintegrated into the lives of her friends step by step. She has to overcome unimaginable difficulties every day and insist on going to school.
She held the wooden handle with both hands, and moved forward little by little, hard but firm.
At first, the other children avoided Qian Hongyan, but as time went on, they gradually accepted this partner who needed special attention. Qian Hongyan also gradually regained her smile in the process and regained her love for life.
This seemingly simple basketball shoe is not only Qian Hongyan's walking tool, but also a symbol of her tenacity and perseverance. It witnesses how a little girl is strong enough to get back on her feet in the face of adversity, writing an inspirational chapter of her life with endless perseverance.
Despite losing her legs, Qian Hongyan has not lost her love for life. With the love of her family and her own persistence, she gradually adapted to her new life. The image of her sitting, half-basketball, with her hands propped up on the ground and struggling forward, has become a symbol of perseverance in the hearts of many people.
Although this experience was painful, it shaped Qian Hongyan's tenacious character. Even in the darkest of times, we are deeply moved by the fact that with love and courage, people can find the strength to move forward.
In 2009, the gears of fate quietly turned. 9-year-old Qian Hongyan was unexpectedly noticed by the media because of the unique way of "basketball travel". A report was like a pebble thrown into a lake, causing ripples and bringing this strong little girl into the lives of more people.
For Qian Hongyan, who has never left her hometown, the trip to Beijing is both exciting and full of unknowns. Here, she received professional medical attention and put on a prosthetic leg for the first time.
When she took the first step tremblingly, her eyes flashed with tears of excitement, which was not only a physical progress, but also a great leap in her soul.
CCTV's report has greatly enhanced Qian Hongyan's popularity, and her profound influence has influenced countless audiences. The audience was deeply moved by her resolute and gentle eyes, and her optimistic attitude in the face of adversity.
Qian Hongyan's story has become a symbol of the "basketball girl", expressing strength and courage.
The public security organs had a deep understanding of the educational significance of Qian Hongyan's story, and they invited Qian Hongyan to participate in the filming of the traffic police safety education propaganda film. In front of the camera, Qian Hongyan used her personal experience to convey the importance of traffic safety to the audience.
Her story is not only poignant, but also evokes the importance of traffic safety.
This experience allowed Qian Hongyan to broaden her horizons and understand that her own story can infect and help others. Since then, she has not only worked hard for herself, but also hopes to pass on her story to more people.
This realization has played a positive role in her future life.
The attention of the media and the assistance of the society, like the breeze and drizzle of spring, gently moistened Qian Hongyan's young heart. She gradually realized that, despite the loss of her legs, what she had was not just physical integrity, but the strength of her heart, the ability to give love, and the right to be loved.
The experience during this period of time made Qian Hongyan see the hope of life, and also made her understand the value of her existence.
Since then, Qian Hongyan is no longer the little girl who was hit by fate, but a role model who can inspire others. Her story has become a spiritual strength for many people in the face of difficult situations.
And the little girl sitting on half a basketball is showing her strong influence to the society with a high-spirited attitude.
This experience changed Qian Hongyan's life and let us see the warmth of society. It tells us that love and care can bring hope and change to the lives of others, and Qian Hongyan's story is the best testimony to this power.
Destiny always has a unique arrangement. Qian Hongyan's painful experience of losing her legs unexpectedly opened a door to a new world for her. During her treatment in Beijing, Qian Hongyan was introduced to swimming for the first time.
As soon as her body sank into the water, a new sense of freedom instantly enveloped her. She was ecstatic to feel that she was able to swim freely in the water without the help of any tools.
The water is like a second home for her, and here, she finds a sense of ease and ease that she has never felt since losing her legs.
In a coincidence, Coach Zhang Honghu discovered Qian Hongyan's swimming talent. He realized that the girl, who had lost both legs, had great potential in swimming. So, Coach Zhang found Qian Hongyan's parents and suggested that she learn to swim systematically.
However, Qian Hongyan's parents fell into doubts. They were worried that their daughter would be inconvenienced by the loss of her legs, and that it would be too difficult for her to learn such a tiring sport again. They don't want to see their daughter suffer defeat again.
However, Qian Hongyan's eyes flashed with determination. "I love to swim and I feel whole in the water," she says firmly. No matter how tough it is, I'm determined to try.
Seeing their daughter so resolute, the parents finally nodded in agreement.
In this way, Qian Hongyan joined the swimming team, and at first, except for Coach Zhang, everyone else questioned this girl who had no legs. However, with her perseverance and talent, Qian Hongyan quickly won everyone's respect.
Qian Hongyan's training is hard, and she has to put in more effort than others every day. Her first "basketball shoe" quickly wore out, and the coach made a new one for her.
Since then, Qian Hongyan has written her own legendary story between the "basketball shoes" and the pool.
In 2008, the opportunity finally came. Qian Hongyan participated in the Yunnan Provincial Games for the Disabled and won the championship in three events at once. This result surprised everyone.
In the years that followed, she also achieved excellent results at the National Para Championships, including a national championship and two runners-up.
Every time she goes into the water, it is a rebirth for Qian Hongyan, and the water has become her stage and she has found a new way to show herself. The little girl who used to be able to walk only half a basketball is now comfortable in the water.
Water has become Qian Hongyan's second home. Here, she is no longer the disabled girl, but a prominent athlete. Every victory brings her one step closer to her dream.
Her eyes are further afield – the Paralympics.
Qian Hongyan's story tells us that the miracle of life often blooms in the most unexpected places. The painful experience of losing her legs led her into the water and opened up a new life.
She proved with her own actions that as long as we don't give up, we can always find our own stage.
Physically, as a former survival machine, Qian Hongyan has transformed from a little girl who can only move forward on half a basketball to a swimmer who soars freely in the water. But more importantly, she has also achieved self-improvement spiritually.
Her story inspires countless people: you can't be trapped by reality, because you never know what the next moment will bring.
Life is always full of ups and downs, and so is Qian Hongyan's life path. She was doing her best to prepare for the 2012 London Paralympics, however, a bad news suddenly came, the grandfather who had made "basketball shoes" for her and gave her infinite love had passed away forever.
This blow was like a bolt from the blue for Qian Hongyan, and she lost her life and spiritual support. Her grandfather's death flooded her, her mood plummeted, her training performance plummeted, and she missed out on the long-awaited London 2012 Paralympic Games.
The once high-spirited "basketball girl" now seems to have returned to the haze stage after losing her legs. However, just as she bravely rose from her pain back then, she did not give in to fate this time.
With the encouragement of her coach and family, Qian Hongyan slowly adjusted. She told herself that although her grandfather was gone, her grandfather's love and expectations would always be with her. In order to live up to her grandfather's expectations and prove her worth, Qian Hongyan must stand up again.
Qian Hongyan began to train harder, she used her longing for her grandfather as motivation, and every time she entered the water, she could feel her grandfather cheering her on the shore. Gradually, her form began to pick up and her grades improved.
Four years can not only heal the wound, but also allow an athlete to rise again. When the Rio 2016 Paralympics were held, Qian Hongyan was fully prepared. This time, she managed to race and finished fourth, just one step away from a medal.
Qian Hongyan's excellent results are the best reward for her years of hard work, and the best proof of her strong will. She got back up from the trough and told the world with her own actions: as long as you don't give up, there will always be hope.
Qian Hongyan's story once again proves that the resilience of life often exceeds our imagination. Even in the darkest of times, if you hold on to hope, you can rediscover the strength to move forward.
Her experience has not only allowed her to surpass herself, but also become a valuable asset to inspire others.
Today, Qian Hongyan has become an energetic and confident adult. She has achieved remarkable results in different fields and has shown a unique light in life.
After retiring, Qian Hongyan mastered computer technology through self-study and successfully found a job. The focus of life has shifted from the pool to the office, but the spirit of perseverance has not diminished.
At the same time, she has also received a more advanced adult prosthesis, and her height has grown to 1.64 meters, and she no longer needs to rely on half a basketball to walk.
Although Qian Hongyan's physical disability cannot be changed, her face is always filled with a bright smile. She used her own experience to tell us a profound truth: the value of life is not what you have, but how you look at life and how you face challenges.
Now, 20 years have passed, and Qian Hongyan, the "basketball girl" who moved China back then, is still doing well. Not only did she show her style, but she also continued to inspire many people with her story.
Although there is still a long road ahead for Qian Hongyan, we firmly believe that she will continue to move forward with courage and continue to create her own glorious legend.