Growing up using a basketball as her legs, Qian Hongyan relentlessly pursued her dream of becoming a swimmer, winning numerous medals that earned admiration for her resilience.

A devastating accident changed her life forever.

Qian Hongyan, born in Luliang County, Yunnan Province, China, was involved in a serious traffic accident in October 2000, where both her legs were severely injured by a truck.

Despite the doctors’ best efforts, the injuries were too serious, and Qian Hongyan had to undergo the removal of both legs, leaving her disabled. However, her story of resilience has moved and inspired many.

Qian’s family was so poor that, after her discharge from the hospital, they could not afford prosthetic legs. Seeing that she couldn’t move like her peers, Qian’s grandfather cut an old basketball into a circle and placed it underneath her body, giving her two pieces of wood with handles so she could move around independently. From then on, many people called Qian Hongyan “the basketball girl.”

The accident changed her body, but it could not take away her bright smile, her resilience, and her determination. Every day, thanks to the basketball created by her grandfather and the two wooden supports, Qian still played and spent time with her friends.

Recalling the painful moment, Qian Hongyan once said: “When I woke up, I only felt my feet were ice cold. I asked my mother to put on my shoes, but she didn’t say anything, tears streamed down her face. The truth is, my legs would never walk again.”

Without self-doubt or feeling inferior, Qian Hongyan longed for a life like her friends. On her first day at school, her classmates gathered around her, but she showed no signs of fear. Instead, she insisted on going to school, strengthening her parents’ belief in her.

Qian’s resilience became widely known, and many supporters came together to sponsor her trip to Beijing for examination and rehabilitation. There, she received prosthetic legs, making movement easier. For Qian, these prosthetics opened a new chapter, changing her path in life.

Recalling her first swimming lesson, Qian Hongyan couldn’t float on her own and felt like she was suffocating. However, she didn’t give up and practiced every day to master her movements in the water.

Initially, no one in her swimming class paid much attention to her. Over time, she showed clear talent, with strong arms, good endurance, and natural buoyancy. Because of this, she received professional training in multiple swimming styles.

Before Qian began swimming, Coach Zhang Honghu met her family many times to encourage her and express his hope of training her as a professional athlete. At first, her family strongly disagreed because she was still very young and they didn’t want her to face more hardship after the accident.

However, the biggest challenge for Qian Hongyan was the absence of legs. According to Coach Zhang Honghu, this was like a ship without direction, making it harder to control speed in the water. To address this, he created a special training program designed just for her.

With her coach’s support, Qian Hongyan and her teammates trained at least four hours every day. She shared that she felt freer in the water than on land. The training helped her maintain balance and improve her speed.

Through determination and persistence, Qian Hongyan became a competitive swimmer. She won three gold medals at the provincial level, one gold and two silver medals at the national level. At the Rio Paralympic Games, she placed ninth in the 100m breaststroke, along with many other achievements.

“I love swimming; it has changed my life and helped me see wonderful things,” Qian Hongyan shared.

Today, with her accomplishments, Qian Hongyan works for a disability support organization in her hometown. She hopes her journey will inspire others to stay strong and overcome their challenges.