Li Xiang is 15. But according to physicians, his mental age is 5 to 6. Yet the teen with Down syndrome, a genetic disorder causing physical and mental retardation, proved to be a hero at the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2019 held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from March 14 to 22.

When Li was diagnosed with the disorder one month after his birth, his parents were stunned. It seemed like the end of the world at that time. However, when Li was 10, Chinese Olympic gymnastic champion Li Xiaopeng visited the special education school where Li Xiang was and performed for those special students there. The act made Li Xiang fascinated with gymnastics. He told his parents he was determined to become an Olympic champion like Li Xiaopeng.

It brought a ray of hope to his parents to find their son had talent in sports.

It was not easy for a child with Down syndrome to practice gymnastics. Li suffered from coordination and balance problems and was very sensitive when facing failure. However, with the encouragement of his teachers, coach and parents, he pursued his dream though he kept hurting his arms and legs, grazing his hands and bleeding again and again.

In 2015, at the age of 11, Li Xiang attended his first Special Olympics in Los Angeles as one of the youngest competitors. It was a golden debut. He won a gold, two silvers and two bronzes.

Since climbing the rostrum that time, he became more and more confident. "Though years of sports haven't improved Li Xiang's intelligence, I can feel his comprehensive progress in life, in self-discipline and in getting along with other people," his mother Yang Jianying told Beijing Review in Abu Dhabi, with happy tears in her eyes.

It is difficult for people to imagine the hardship Li Xiang's family has endured to bring up their special child and their happiness on seeing the progress he has achieved. At the Abu Dhabi Special Games, a determined Li Xiang harvested two golds, four silvers and a bronze.

"I love sports. It makes me feel happy and energetic," Li Xiang told reporters after his events.

The Chinese delegation attends the opening ceremony of the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on March 14 (XINHUA)

A special group

Li Xiang was one of the more than 7,500 athletes who overcame their different disabilities to show their métier at the 2019 Summer Special Olympics.

People with intellectual disability have problems letting others know their wants and needs as well as taking care of themselves. Intellectual disability could cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than other children of the same age. It could also take them longer to learn to speak, walk, dress, or eat without help, and they could have trouble learning in school. Thus it is more difficult for them to hone their skills and show their talent in the sports arena.

When introducing the Chinese delegation to reporters, Guo Liqun, Director of the Department of Publication and Culture of China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), told a simple but sobering story. For athletes without disabilities, the firing of the starting gun means the race is on but for the intellectually disabled, some even don't know in which direction to run.

"They are a special group. We need to try our best to understand them. They really need more and special care and love, not only from their families but also from the whole society," Guo said.

The Chinese Government has increased efforts for the rehabilitation of the group. Statistics from the CDPF show that by the end of 2018, over 9,000 rehabilitation agencies for the disabled were established nationwide. Of them, over 3,000 provide services for the intellectually disabled. In 2018, around 10.75 million disabled people in China received government-supported rehabilitation services, including 838,000 intellectually disabled.

Nurturing self-confidence

Shi Zhuoying is a teacher with the special education school in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. She is also the coach of Li Xiang and other athletes of the Chinese gymnastic team for the 2019 Summer Special Olympics. The 55-year-old has worked in the school for around 25 years.

Shi told reporters since the children have difficulty in learning and remembering gymnastic movements, coaches like her need boundless patience to teach them the moves again and again. The teachers never scold the students but encourage them all the time. And the most important thing is showing them love.

"The primary reason families have their intellectually disabled children take up gymnastics and other sports is to cultivate their self-confidence. Every single bit of progress will bring them great encouragement. Our target is to help these children to better integrate into society," Shi said.

Though it is hard work, working and living with these children brings Shi a lot of happiness. In her eyes, they are virtuous rather than mentally disadvantaged.

For the young players of the Chinese bocce team for the 2019 Summer Special Olympics, their coach Fang Jianqin is like their mother. Fang is a teacher at the special education school in Handan, north China's Hebei Province.

Though her students cannot describe in words how much hard work their teacher has put in for them and how much they appreciate her, the smile that lights up their faces when her name is mentioned reveals their hearts.

Due to the disability, some youngsters are unable to look after themselves and occasionally soil their clothes.

"Though we all want the children to be more independent, in such cases we need to treat them as our own child, to comfort them, to wash them and encourage them," Fang told Beijing Review. "As their teacher, my only wish is to see them grow up happily with our companionship."

Every individual is different, Shi said in parting. As long as everyone, no matter able or disabled, tries his or her best to make progress, little by little, every day, they deserve respect.

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

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