In 1994, she was chosen to train with the newly set up national wheelchair fencing team for the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled.

"Though I had no idea what fencing was at that time, I needed that opportunity to cheer me up and regain my confidence. Besides, I really love sport, any kind of sport."

After three months of intensive training, Qi took the foil fencing gold medal and the epee silver at the event.

"Back then, the sport was my whole life," she said.

"The accident gave me a different understanding of sport. Before that, I took every victory in high jumping for granted and I enjoyed the glory it brought me. But after the accident, sport became a kind of lifeline for me, and this gave me the courage to face the harsh reality."

Qi used to train for about 10 hours a day. Because she has no feeling in her lower limbs, she had to train carefully to avoid damaging her hips.

In 2003, before the National Games for the Disabled, she underwent four operations, transplanting muscles from other parts of her body to repair her damaged hips.

After winning the epee title at the 1st Wheelchair Fencing National Championships in 2005, Qi began traveling abroad to compete in international events.

She said the overseas journeys were hard work as she had to take care of herself.

"I had to spend 90 percent of my energy taking care of myself and could not focus on the competition at all.

"I had a difficult time getting in and out of taxis and carrying my own sword bag from one court to another. It's quite embarrassing that I cannot even shower when I am abroad because I cannot get into the bath tub."

Even under such conditions, Qi finished third in both the individual foil and epee events at the 2005 Wheelchair Fencing World Cup in Paris. She also took the epee team title at the 2006 Wheelchair Fencing World Cup in Hong Kong.

After the 1994 Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, Qi went back to school and earned a bachelor's degree in business management. She also got a job as a web editor for a local newspaper. In 2000, she began studying law and passed the national qualification test for lawyers.

Now she is busy setting up her own e-business, selling jade accessories online.

"I think the accident just awakened my inner power and led me to heights I'd never dreamed of before. I might be just an ordinary high jumper in China, but now I am the world champion."