For Para Games champ Di Dongdong, sound and touch are the keys to glory

China's Di Dongdong has undoubtedly been one of the biggest stars of the athletics events at the ongoing Asian Para Games.

On Tuesday, he led a Chinese sweep of the podium places in the men's 100m T11 final at Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium, clocking 11.23 seconds, ahead of Zhao Pingan (11.33) and Ye Tao (11.45).

"I am the senior athlete among the three because I started in this sport a bit earlier than they did, and I am older. I was so proud to see three Chinese national flags raised at the medal ceremony, and I also hope they can perform even better," said Di, 30.

Just the day before, Di set a new Asian Para Games record in the long jump T11 final. He achieved the feat with his very first attempt, leaping to an impressive 6.65 meters, a 10-centimeter improvement on his personal best, and enough to secure gold.

"I felt good in this competition. After landing, I felt like I jumped pretty well, but 6.65 meters was really beyond my expectations as I rarely managed it in training," he said.

A leap of 6.47m secured Di the Paralympic title in the same event at the Tokyo Games in August 2021.

With the medal count quickly racking up, Di's next target is to break the world record.

"I set this goal at the very beginning of my long jump career, but at the moment it's quite challenging for me to achieve," he said.

In para sports, the T11 classification features athletes with visual impairment, typically indicating complete blindness or very limited light perception. These athletes often rely on guides or use auditory and tactile cues to compete in various sports. So, Di is never alone on the track.

In the long jump, athletes are required to complete their approach on a runway which is approximately a meter wide. This demands precision and stability as they count their strides and maintain a steady pace until they reach the takeoff board. Then, with the utmost determination, they leap forward, aiming for a clean landing in the sandpit.