Recently, the Publicity Department of the Hongshan District Committee of the Communist Party of China in Wuhan issued a notice on the "Touching Hongshan" Top Ten Figures and "Good People of Hongshan" for 2022. Four students from our School of Tennis: Peng Boyang, Guo Wei, Guo Bin, and Zhou Xiaoqin collectively known as the "Angel Eyes," have been named on the list, and they were successfully selected as one of the top ten figures and "Good People of Hongshan" (for their acts of kindness).
In the summer of 2022, four college student volunteers from Wuhan Sports University, Peng Boyang, Guo Bin, Guo Wei, and Zhou Xiaoqin, acted as coaches and guide runners for 7 athletes from the Wuhan School for the Blind. Together, they achieved an impressive haul of 8 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals at the 11th Provincial Paralympic Games in Hubei Province.
According to the rules of disabled athletics, visually impaired athletes must rely on guide runners to complete their races. For visually impaired athletes, a 10 cm traction rope is everything they need to navigate the field, with the person on the other end being their only source of tactile feedback.
Upon arriving at the Wuhan School for the Blind, the four volunteers discovered that these children had not received any formal training previously. They realized that this would be their biggest challenge yet. Their first hurdle was how to help the kids overcome the fear of running in the dark. To better understand the world of visually impaired children, the four volunteers donned blindfolds and tried taking some steps. Even with prior professional training, they struggled to even run 20 meters, stumbling and staggering along the way.
The 10 cm Traction Rope Uniting the Guide Runner and Athlete as One
Image source: Changjiang Daily
"Building trust was extremely important", said Guo Bin. They tailored training plans for each child to suit their individual needs, helped with stretching and relaxation after each session, played music by the popular singer Jay Chou that the children enjoyed, chatted with them, bought pork ribs and stewed soup for them, and even went singing together on Dragon Boat Festival with four other team members still at school. At some point, the kids began to trust them unconditionally and developed a natural rapport when following their guide in the darkness.
Since the children had never seen proper running posture before, the four volunteers broke down the movements and helped the kids find the right angles for leg folding and hand-raising. Next, they held the children's hands and legs while guiding them through the correct movements. After numerous repetitions, they began to practice synchronizing their movements, starting from stationary positions with synchronized arm movements, then progressing to slow jogging while pulling the traction rope, and finally transitioning to high-intensity sprinting.
The Children Achieved Outstanding Results, and the 4 Volunteers Cheered
Image provided by the Wuhan School for the Blind
Through daily specialized training, including speed, strength, cornering, coordination, and periodic testing, coupled with genuine companionship, the children finally achieved outstanding results. At the 11th Provincial Paralympic Games in Hubei Province, they won a total of 8 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals.
As the saying goes, "In the southern lands flourish many trees with drooping branches, where vines and creepers climb and spread happily. And a virtuous gentleman endowed with true joy can soothe hearts and bring peace to minds, through kind deeds and noble thoughts." We may not always be able to accomplish great things, but with great love, we can do small things that bring color to others' lives while reaping the wonders of life ourselves.
