Hong Kong's up-and-coming gymnast Zhang Wei, who was paralyzed from the waist down by a spinal injury sustained while training on Tuesday night, showed response in her legs yesterday after a five-hour operation on Wednesday.

The 14-year-old athlete is recovering in the pediatric intensive care unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, but she was still listed in serious condition yesterday.

Head coach of the Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong (GAHK) Poon King-hung said Zhang showed slight movement in her lower body, indicating that Wednesday's operation was successful.

According to Zhang's doctor, Poon said, the next three months will be critical to her recovery.

A student at the Diocesan Girls' School, Zhang fell from the 2.5-meter uneven bars while attempting a backward somersault at the Shun Lee Tsuen Sports Centre in Kwun Tong Tuesday night.

Doctors said she dislocated her fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae when she landed on her head and her lower body went numb.

On Wednesday, she underwent surgery to realign her neck discs after doctors failed to do so by traction.

Zhang's family, coach and schoolmates visited her yesterday.

Afterward, her father told reporters that she is confident her rehabilitation will prove successful. "Our whole family is very confident, too," he said.

Meanwhile, the head coach was touched by Zhang's fortitude.

"Before the injury she was still a kid, but she now becomes mature like an adult," Poon said. "She kept consoling us and saying 'I will be fine. I will stand up again'."

GAHK Chairman Kenneth Fok delivered a flower basket to express condolences, while Zhang's teammates and classmates wished her good health.

Winning fame and awards from various gymnastics competitions, the Guangzhou-born Zhang was seen as a rising star in the sport.

She has been trained as a gymnast since the age of 4 and joined the Hong Kong team in 2006 when she and her family moved to the SAR.

Poon said Zhang had hoped to participate in the 2010 Asian Games - a goal that now depends on her recover progress.

Spinal surgery and rehabilitation specialist Law Sheung-wai said that whether Zhang's body can get to the level attained before her injury partly depends on how much her muscles recover in the next week.

"It may take up to six months for her to recover with heavy doses of steroids," Law said.

Ten years ago, mainland gymnast Sang Lan injured her spinal cord during a performance at the Goodwill Games in New York. It resulted in paralysis from the chest down.

Sang has expressed concern about Zhang's injury and gave her blessing on her online blog.

Sang said Zhang still has a good chance at recovery if her spine is not permanently damaged.

"As athletes, we always encounter difficulties during training, but we also strive to overcome, so I believe she can also get over this hurdle," Sang said.

Last month, Sang set up a fund to help injured athletes, and she is now looking into ways to provide assistance to Zhang.

(HK Edition 10/03/2008 page1)