Liu Xuanling, a 13-year-old figure skater from the Wenjiang district in Chengdu, Sichuan province, will join the Chinese sports delegation for 11th Special Olympics World Winter Games held in Austria.

Liu was enrolled into a Chengdu figure skating training camp due to her outstanding performance in the 8th Chengdu Games of Disabled Persons held last June. Unlike her teammates who either have previous skating or games participation experience, Liu has started from the bottom.

“Bruises were normal when she was learning the ropes. She barely called it quits,” said Liu’s mother.

Through her determination, basic dancing skills and finely honed process, Liu was included among the Chinese delegation after several months of efforts.

First established in 1962, the Special Olympics World Winter Games is an international sporting competition for athletes with disabilities. The 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Austria in the host cities of Graz, Schladming and Ramsau from March 14 to 25.

Seventy-six Chinese Special Olympic athletes from 8 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities will compete this year in 5 events—figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing, speed skating and Nordic skiing.

Liu Xuanling, a 13-year-old from Chengdu, trains in figure skating for the 11th Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria. [Photo/ wenjiang.gov.cn]

Source from China Daily