The Chenzhou sports delegation returned home with 78 medals following the conclusion of the 12th Hunan Provincial Paralympic Games, according to local reports covering the event that ran from September 26 to September 29 in Yiyang, with athletes participating in track and field, swimming, table tennis, shooting, blind judo, and Chinese chess.
Delegation Returns With 34 Gold Medals From Yiyang
The Chenzhou delegation sent 44 athletes to the provincial games, comprising eight competitors with visual impairments, four with hearing impairments, 25 with physical disabilities, and seven with intellectual disabilities. Over the three-day competition schedule that followed the opening ceremonies, the delegation captured 34 gold medals, 24 silver medals, and 20 bronze medals, bringing their total medal count to 78.
Official tallies placed the Chenzhou delegation sixth overall in total medals, eighth in total gold medals, and eighth in total competition points. Organizers also awarded the delegation the Sportsmanship Award for the 12th Hunan Provincial Paralympic Games.
Standout Performances Lead Chenzhou’s Campaign
Twenty-year-old track veteran Chen锦华 (Chen Jinhua) secured the delegation’s first gold medal on the morning of the opening day in the men’s 100-meter final, continuing a streak from the previous provincial games. Chen ultimately finished the competition with two gold medals and one bronze medal.
Ouyang Jingling, a sports teacher at the Guiyang County Special Education School, Hunan Provincial Labor Model, and recognized local volunteer, swept the high jump, long jump, and triple jump events to collect three gold medals.
In the blind judo events, four debutants from the Chenzhou Special Education School—Xiao Yao, Li Lingyu, Huang Shuting, and Zeng Meiling—combined to win four gold medals, one silver medal, and three bronze medals.
Young track athletes Zhu Liuhuan, Jiang Jiari, and Wang Yuhan also broke through in their first provincial appearance to claim eight gold medals. Among them, 14-year-old Zhu Liuhuan demonstrated notable acceleration in sprint events to anchor the team’s youth depth.
Future Training and Local Sports Development Plans
Municipal sports authorities attributed the results to rigorous preparation by athletes, coaches, and staff across the Chenzhou Disabled Persons Federation, alongside backing from local government departments. Officials stated that the city plans to use the results to expand fitness programs, improve rehabilitation sports access, and identify new talent for competitive disability sports across the region.
