Torchbearer's Paralympic spirit triumphs after nervy moments

Li Duan's starring role in Friday night's Paralympic Games opening ceremony was probably the longest minute of the athlete's life－and arguably the most heartwarming moment of the show.

As the audience watched with bated breath, Li initially struggled to place the torch in the correct position to light the giant snowflake-shaped cauldron because of his vision impairment.

As one of the eight para athletes serving as torchbearers in the final part of the relay inside the National Stadium, everything had gone to plan for Li as he marched toward the cauldron with the help of a guide and stepped onto the platform.

He held the torch high in his right hand, touched the snowflake placards with his left hand until he found the slot for the torch－just like he had practiced.

But his attempts to insert the torch into the slot failed because it was not placed at the correct angle. He tried to screw in the torch, pressing it down with both hands, but it still did not work.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "You got this!", and the stadium was filled with chants and cheers as Li eventually completed his task.

He punched the air triumphantly with his left fist, with his right hand still tightly grasping the torch.

Not until the stadium burst into thunderous applause did Li release his right hand and raise both his arms high to the crowd.

"I knew there would be difficulties," said Li in a trembling voice after the opening ceremony. "But as long as I keep at it and overcome the challenges, there's nothing I and other people with disabilities can't do."

"My right hand was a little lower than usual, and the slot was not as smooth either," Li explained. "For people with vision impairments, a tiny bit of deviation can cause big trouble.

"But I had confidence. I pulled the torch out and tried again. It took a while, but I made it in the end."

Li added that he wanted to adjust the position of his feet on the platform, but ultimately decided against that maneuver for fear he might slip off the platform.

Li also thanked those that had cheered him on.

"Vision-impaired people may not be able to see the light but we can hear the sound of people who help and support us," he said.

Li is a former basketball player but lost his sight at the age of 18 in an accident involving a fire extinguisher while preparing for the start of the CBA season. Two years later, he returned to the sporting arena, becoming a Paralympic champion in long jump and triple jump at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games.

"Now I feel the same as when I broke the world record and won gold at the National Stadium back in 2008," Li recalled. "Although I can't see, I want to show the world how we Chinese people with disabilities strive to better ourselves."

"When I practiced long jump, I had to run straight and keep my steps accurate," Li added. "If my steps were too big, I would be penalized for a foul. And if my steps were too small, I would not be able to jump into the sandpit.

"It was the same this time－practice and practice."

Xinhua