Ji Yanzhao responds to questions during a recent media interview, showing his bronze medal at his home in Boshan district. [Photo/zbnews.net]
Ji Yanzhao, goalkeeper of China's para ice hockey team, on April 16 returned to his home in the Boshan district of Zibo city – located in East China's Shandong province – with the bronze medal he won.
Ji, along with his teammates, shone at the 2022 Winter Paralympics – commonly known as Beijing 2022 – which were held in the Chinese national capital from March 4 to 13.
China's para ice hockey team, which was only established five years ago, achieved one of the biggest surprises of Beijing 2022 by making it to the medal podium.
Team China's para ice hockey players celebrate winning bronze at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games following their 4-0 triumph over South Korea at the National Indoor Stadium on March 12. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/CHINA DAILY]
The goalkeeper is widely regarded as being the most dangerous position in ice hockey, so 32-year-old Ji deserved more than a pat on the back for taking on the job.
In the March 12 game that resulted in China taking home the bronze, South Korea made the first shot at goal just 38 seconds into the game but it was blocked by Ji.
"My teammates and I shared the same conviction at the Beijing 2022 ice hockey tournament: Now that we got there, we mustn't lose our nerve," Ji said.
Ji's right leg had to be amputated 17 years ago, but the sports-mad enthusiast did was not to be discouraged. He soon picked himself up and began to train and compete in a number of disability sports, with the aid of the Zibo Disabled Persons' Federation.
He has tried his hand at the javelin, shot put, discus and at wheelchair basketball, achieving great results.
But he found his true forte when he joined China's para ice hockey team, becoming goalkeeper in 2018.
"Ice hockey started late in China," said Ji, explaining that a lot of their training programs were still being developed.
"It was a rough road, but we made it," he added.
Ji said sports had brought him a lot of happiness and had made his life wonderful.
He said hoped that people with disabilities would be inspired by his example.
Ji Yanzhao meets up with volunteers at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing. [Photo/zbnews.net]
