Sensing success

Di's coach, Wang Lin, serves as his eyes in this complex sequence. Wang stands on the runway, near the takeoff board, issuing rhythmic calls that gradually increase in frequency, directing Di toward the sound. As Di gets closer, Wang steps away from the runway, his gaze locked onto Di. When Di reaches the takeoff area, Wang shouts "Go!", and, in an instant, Di leaps and Wang instinctively jumps, mirroring his actions.

The synchronization takes years of practice and teamwork.

If an athlete veers off course and lands outside the pit, injuries — sometimes serious spine and tail bone damage — can be sustained.

That's one of the reasons why Di is always so quick to pay tribute to his coach Wang. After his gold-medal heroics in Hangzhou, he said, "First of all, I want to thank my coach for all his hard work and dedication, for guiding me in the right direction and teaching me the essentials of every movement in every session. My coach has been a significant support in both my life and training."

On the sprinting track, guide Lian Jiageng is Di's right-hand man — although in actuality he is positioned to his left. Lian leads Di in the 100-meter races — starting, accelerating, and, at the end, slowing down to allow Di to be the first to cross the finish line.

"Supporting Di in his championship journey is a really fulfilling experience for me," said Lian. "We've been working together for nearly six years."

When they first began their partnership, things didn't go so smoothly. Collisions were frequent, and their movements needed a lot of work. Step-by-step, day-by-day, they fine-tuned their coordination until they finally found their rhythm.

When asked about the secret to building their synergy, Di said, "We eat, sleep and train together; our synergy is definitely at 100 percent."

Growing up in Liaoyang, Liaoning province in Northeast China, Di had a strong passion for running and jumping from a very young age.

"My grandparents would constantly warn me to slow down. However, my love for physical exercise prevailed," Di said.

Unfortunately, at 6, Di was diagnosed with severe glaucoma, which, despite treatment, left him with minimal vision in both eyes. Later in his childhood, he suffered a further setback when a ball struck his left eye, resulting in a detached retina.

Having lost the sight in both his eyes, Di, understandably, found his predicament extremely tough to deal with.

His outlook brightened, however, when, in 2013, his athletic potential was discovered by the local federation for individuals with disabilities. There were still plenty of challenges to overcome, but now he's glad he stayed the course.

"In the early days of my long jump training, I constantly felt as if there was an abyss in front of me, and I was too afraid to take that leap forward. The most daunting part was the fear of running off course and landing on the hard ground outside the sandpit," he said. "Training could be tedious, and I did consider quitting, but during those moments, my family, teammates, guide and coach were unwavering in their encouragement, and I felt I couldn't give up."