The torch relay for the 4th Asian Para Games kicked off in Chun'an county, Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Oct 19. The first day included three torchbearers from Wenzhou, namely Shao Zechang, Xie Maosan, and Hu Wenzhong.
Shao Zechang, hailing from Yongjia county, overcame childhood polio, which left him with a disabled leg. However, this didn't deter him from living a remarkable life. In 2006, he founded his own clothing company in Beijing that now has over 100 stores.
Once his business stabilized, he decided to return to his hometown and establish a business incubator and vocational training school for people with disabilities in Yongjia. Over the years, his philanthropic endeavors have spanned multiple domains, with donations totaling over 800,000 yuan.
Xie Maosan, hailing from Sixi town in Taishun county, is a competitive kayaker. She joined the National Para Canoeing Team in 2015 and achieved fifth place in the women's 200m single kayak KL1 category at the Tokyo Paralympics. At the 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, Wenzhou boasts six athletes in total, including Xie, who is set to compete in the kayaking event.
Hu Wenzhong currently serves as the vice-chairman of the Zhejiang Association for Intellectually Disabled Persons and Their Families. As the father of 22-year-old autistic twins, Hu spearheaded the establishment of the Aixingyuan autism rehabilitation organization. It has offered rehabilitation training to more than 3,600 autistic children and provided over 3 million yuan in assistance to 150 financially-challenged families with autistic children.
The torch will continue its journey in Tonglu county, Fuyang district, and Xiaoshan district and will include another six torchbearers from Wenzhou.
