|

At the closing ceremony of the 17th Summer Paralympic Games, track and field athlete Di Dongdong (foreground) and swimmer Jiang Yuyan (background) bear the flag for China. [Photo/IC]

Jiang Yuyan, a swimmer from Shaoxing, has been named one of China's top 10 athletes of 2024 by Xinhua News Agency.

Jiang achieved this honor after a record-breaking performance at the 17th Summer Paralympic Games in Paris, where she claimed seven gold medals and set two world records and three Paralympic records.

Jiang also served as a flagbearer for Team China at the closing ceremony, alongside track and field athlete Di Dongdong, capping an extraordinary Paralympic campaign. With her Paris victories, Jiang has become the most decorated Paralympic athlete in Zhejiang's history.

After losing her right arm and leg in a car accident at age four, she overcame adversity to reach the pinnacle of Paralympic competition. She previously won two golds, one silver, and one bronze at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.

"I have never felt sorry for myself," Jiang said. "There has never been a moment in my life that I found too difficult."