By Star Cheung

So Wa Wai from Hong Kong and Che Mian from Tianjin won a gold and a bronze in the men's 200m T36 competition last night in the Bird's Nest stadium.

So Wa Wai

So Wa Wai won the first athletic gold medal for the Hong Kong delegation at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics. After the race, IOC member and Hong Kong Olympic Committee President Hon Timothy Fok made an appearance in the Bird's Nest and congratulated So Wa Wai on his victory. At the same time, the Cantonese song The Bondless Sea and Sky by the band Beyond played over the loudspeakers in the Bird's Nest. Spectators applauded warmly while the athlete held high the regional flag of Hong Kong and went on a lap of honor around the track.

"I was so excited that I didn't even notice that they were playing the song," said So Wa Wai at the press conference after the event.

So Wa Wai said he had been ill while competing, which had affected his performance, but he was delighted to have won the gold medal. He lost to Pavlyk Roman from Ukraine in the men's 100m T36 competition on September 9, taking only a bronze medal. He wanted to apologize to his parents for that setback, but came back in the best possible way with victory and a gold medal in the 200m.

Che Mian

"I am very happy that I won the gold medal again and broke my own world record. During the first part of today's race I wasn't hitting my normal pace, but in the latter stages I pushed myself harder, caught up and won the gold," So Wa Wai said to media in the mixed area shortly after the race.

Bronze medalist Che Mian said afterwards: "I'm not very happy, because my result was disappointing. I also feel sorry for the people from my hometown, because I didn't win the gold. "

(China.org.cn September 16, 2008)