TESERO, Italy, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Cai Jiayun likes to describe himself as "just an ordinary person," but on Saturday the 25-year-old Chinese biathlete delivered an extraordinary performance, winning China's first gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games.
Cai captured the men's standing 7.5km biathlon title at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium, securing not only China's first gold of the Games but also the first international victory of his career.
His journey to the top was anything but easy. At the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, Cai narrowly missed out on gold to collect two silvers and a bronze. The early events at Milan-Cortina had also gone by without a gold for the Chinese team.
"I'm just an ordinary person who refuses to accept fate," Cai said after the race.
Born in southern China's Yunnan Province, Cai entered the national winter sports program in 2016 when Yunnan began recruiting young athletes for the Beijing Paralympic cycle. Coming from a region with little snow, he initially struggled to adapt to harsh winter conditions and often suffered frostbite in training.
Over the past four years, Cai said his preparation followed a simple routine of "eating, sleeping and training," while coaches helped him improve his shooting, skiing technique and mental strength.
In Saturday's race, Cai stayed calm after starting slightly behind the leaders. A perfect first shooting stage pushed him into the lead, and he maintained his advantage to claim the gold.
"My condition was very good throughout the race," he said.
After crossing the line, Cai joined silver medallist Liu Xiaobin and teammates Wu Junbao and Yuan Mingshou in holding the Chinese national flag, a proud moment for the country's Paralympic winter sports program.
His victory also inspired teammate Wang Yue, who later won the women's visually impaired 7.5km biathlon title.
"I know how hard things have been for him and how many injuries he has," Wang said. "Seeing him win really encouraged me."
With three more events still ahead, Cai quickly shifted his focus back to competition.
"There's still some empty space in my suitcase," he said with a smile. "I hope to bring home a few more medals." Enditem
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