Ordos athlete Sun Pengxiang to compete in Paris Paralympics

Athlete Sun Pengxiang from the city of Ordos in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region is set to represent China at the 17th Summer Paralympic Games, which will take place in Paris, France, from Aug 28 to Sept 8.

Sun will compete in the men's javelin and shot put events. He holds the world record in the men's javelin F41 category and has achieved the grand slam in this event.

At 33 years old, Sun has been dedicated to throwing events for over a decade. Despite his short stature and congenital disability, these challenges have only fueled his determination to excel.

In 2013, Sun began training at the Inner Mongolia athletics training base for people with disabilities, focusing on throwing disciplines.

By 2015, he was selected for the national team and has since competed in numerous international para-athletics competitions, earning multiple medals in javelin and shot put events. His javelin performances have repeatedly broken world records.

Sun's first major breakthrough came in 2015 at the World Para Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. He secured the gold medal in javelin, setting a new world record, and placed seventh in shot put.

Since then, Sun has continued to dominate, securing gold medals in the men's javelin F41 category at the 11th National Paralympic Games and the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships in Paris. He has consistently broken the world record, and the current world record of 48.94 meters in this event stands as a testament to Sun's exceptional talent and perseverance.