Two athletes from Taizhou in East China's Zhejiang province have been selected to represent China at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Para Games, as announced by the Taizhou Disabled Persons' Federation.

The Chinese sports delegation for the Asian Para Games, taking place from Oct 22 to 28, will consist of a total of 439 athletes, including 221 males and 218 females.

Taizhou athletes Jiang Lingtao and Wang Xixi will both be competing in the rowing event.

Jiang Lingtao, hailing from Wenling, a county-level city in Taizhou, was born in 1995 with a leg disorder that caused his feet to grow unevenly, with his left foot being 15 centimeters shorter than his right foot. Despite this, he has never abandoned his love for sports and firmly believes that as long as he works hard, he can still succeed just like an able-bodied person.

Through his daily efforts, Jiang has gradually made a name for himself in the rowing world in recent years. He has achieved outstanding results, including winning first place in the rowing competition at the 11th Zhejiang Provincial Para Games. At the recently-concluded 2023 World Rowing Championships, he qualified to participate in the Paris Paralympic Games.

Wang Xixi was born in 1993 in Taizhou's Jiaojiang district. When she was in the second grade, she experienced a high fever that caused optic nerve atrophy and macular degeneration, resulting in a level one visual impairment.

However, the challenges of life did not defeat this resilient girl. In 2010, she was selected to join the provincial professional rowing team. From a girl who was once scared of water, she has grown into a skilled rower.

Over the past decade, Wang Xixi has achieved numerous successes, including fourth place in the 1,000m mixed coxed four para-row at the 2012 London Paralympic Games and sixth place at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. In the 2023 World Rowing Championships, she secured a spot to participate in the Paris Paralympic Games.