The wheel to win

With less than 100 days until the Paris Paralympics, the Chinese women's wheelchair basketball team is setting its sights on the gold medal.

"We hope to win the Paralympic championship," said Lin Suiling, the team captain.

This year marks the third Paralympic appearance for the 33-year-old Lin. In her debut at the 2016 edition in Rio, Lin and her teammates finished fifth. A year later, in 2017, she was named captain of the team.

Three years ago, at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Paralympics, under Lin's leadership the Chinese team reached the final, guaranteeing the first ever Paralympic medal in Chinese wheelchair basketball history. The team returned home with the silver medal after losing to the Netherlands 31-50.

Reflecting on her journey, Lin said: "During the Rio Paralympics, my understanding of wheelchair basketball wasn't deep enough. I hadn't built a solid foundation, and I felt a bit confused on the court, struggling to handle urgent situations.

"In Rio, our goal was just to learn to be on the international stage. By the time we got to Tokyo, we wanted to win a medal."

Now, with Paris on the horizon, the team is more determined than ever to achieve its ultimate goal: bringing home the gold.

The team has dominated in Asia for years. Last October, it won gold at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, marking a third consecutive title at the event.

In January, at the 2024 Asia-Oceania Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Bangkok, the Chinese team won all six games, securing the championship and a spot at the Paris Paralympics.

Zhang Xuemei and Lin were named to the tournament's All-Star Team, and Lin was also awarded the Most Valuable Player.

On the international stage, the Netherlands has always been a tough rival for China. In addition to losing to the Dutch team in the Tokyo Paralympic final, the Chinese women's wheelchair basketball team finished second at the World Championships in Dubai last June, again losing another final to the Netherlands, but also marking the team's best-ever finish at the event.

Lin acknowledged that the Netherlands is the team's biggest opponent, and expressed hope of a "revenge" victory at the Paris Paralympics.

To prepare for this challenge, the Chinese coaches have arranged for players from the Guangdong men's wheelchair basketball team to simulate the Dutch players' style during training.

At the end of May, Lin and her teammates faced an early test prior to the Paris Paralympics. Beijing hosted the 2024 International Women's Wheelchair Basketball Training Camp, featuring teams from the Netherlands, the United States, Britain and China.

In the gripping 10-day contest, the Chinese team narrowly succumbed to the US with a championship final score of 50-52, securing the runner-up position. The Netherlands and Britain finished third and fourth respectively.

Speaking on behalf of the team, head coach Chen Qi highlighted their strategic experimentation and newfound confidence during the tournament.

"We tried fresh lineups and different tactics, elevating our resolve," he remarked. "Our sights are now firmly set on Paris, where we aim to vie for the top two spots."

Chen explained that, since the Tokyo Paralympics, several players have hung up the jersey, due to reclassification, age, injuries or for personal reasons.

As a result, half of the current squad are newcomers. The biggest challenge now is the lack of competition, which means some of the new players lack major tournament experience, and the team hasn't had many opportunities for practical drills, he said.

"This training camp allowed us to compete and learn from the world's top teams. It is a crucial part of our preparation for Paris," Chen noted.

In the coming weeks, the team will continue to refine its coordination, physical fitness, mentality, technical tactics, and substitute lineup, he added.

The Paris Paralympics will be held from Aug 28 to Sep 8, and will be the first time the French capital has hosted the event.

The Games will feature 22 sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, blind soccer, cycling, equestrian, goalball and wheelchair tennis, with a total of 549 events. Around 4,400 athletes from over 160 countries and regions are expected to participate.

China has already qualified for the Paris Paralympics in 19 sports. Teams in athletics, archery, table tennis, and other sports will continue to participate in international qualification events to secure their spots.

This will be China's 11th appearance at the Summer Paralympics. China sent 251 athletes to Tokyo last time around, and won 96 gold medals, finishing first in the gold medal count.

To gear up for the Paris Paralympics, the China Disabled Persons' Federation has organized intensive training for national teams in 18 sports, including athletics and swimming, at 13 training bases across the country since April 12.

Zhou Changkui, chairman of the federation, emphasized the need for athletes and coaches to engage in comprehensive simulation and adaptive training to improve overall performance. He also highlighted the importance of using technology to enhance training quality and boost athletic performance.