The 12th Hunan Provincial Games for Persons with Disabilities reaches its conclusion on September 29, 2026, with the official closing ceremony scheduled for 20:00 local time at the Yiyang Olympic Park Gymnasium. Broadcasting live across the Yiyang Radio and Television multi-media matrix, the event wraps up a multi-sport gathering that brought together 731 athletes.
Opening Gold and Sprint Battles on the Track
Track events opened on the morning of September 27 at the provincial games, delivering immediate milestones. Representing the host delegation, 33-year-old Liu Yao claimed the first gold medal of the athletics program by winning the women’s T42 100-meter final. Liu, who lost her right leg in a car accident at age five, transitioned from using crutches to racing with a prosthetic limb.
“Every athlete is working furiously hard in places others don’t see; what people see are simply the results on the field,” Liu said after her victory, reflecting on the shared experience of the competitors.
The race also featured Shaoyang competitor Xie Cui, pairing two athletes with double above-knee amputations in a competitive sprint that demonstrated the physical demands and preparation required in the classification.
A Dual-Medal Performance for Xiangtan’s Racing Couple
The September 27 athletics sessions produced a unique shared podium for Xiangtan’s 90s-generation racing couple, Zhang杰 and Yan Ting. Zhang secured a silver medal in the men’s 1500-meter race, while his wife, Yan, captured gold in the women’s T54 wheelchair racing 100-meter final.
Following the medal presentations, Zhang presented his silver medal and a bouquet of flowers to Yan. The pair, both managing childhood-onset disabilities—Zhang from illness and Yan from an accident—first met at a provincial sports training camp in 2010. Over more than a decade, they have balanced domestic life with rigorous training regimens to compete at the provincial level.
Blind Judo Champion Extends Career in Yiyang
In the blind judo competition held on September 27, 36-year-old Yiyang delegation member Xiao Ke captured the gold medal in the men’s J1 over-95-kilogram division. Classified under the J1 category for athletes who are totally or near-totally blind, Xiao secured his second career provincial games title.
Discovered by a track coach in 2005 while attending the Changsha Special Education School due to his athletic explosiveness, Xiao transitioned to judo. Unable to watch visual demonstrations, he learned techniques entirely through tactile feedback, repeatedly touching his coach's positioning to master balance and throws. Away from competition mats, Xiao works as a blind massage therapist, temporarily stepping away from his occupation to complete a two-month training camp.
“Standing on the training mat, I can feel my own value,” Xiao said of his preparation for regional and national aspirations.
Closing Ceremony Schedule
The Yiyang Radio and Television video channel will stream the closing ceremony live on September 29 at 20:00 local time, marking the official close of competition for the 731 participating athletes.
