An unseen journey as a goalball athlete

Yang Mingyuan of China competes during the men's quarterfinal of the goalball event between China and Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Chiba, Japan, Aug. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

Chinese Paralympians Cai Changgui and Chen Liangliang have gone beyond teammates or friends, but rather have become family.

TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- With 16 years of training and competing together, Chinese Paralympians Cai Changgui and Chen Liangliang have gone beyond teammates or friends, but rather have become family.

On August 26, Cai and Chen played their first goalball match at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Makuhari Messe, where the Chinese men's team was crushed 10-3 by Belgium in the preliminary round when Klison Mapreni scored eight goals alone.

A day later, Cai and Chen combined with five goals for China, beating Ukraine 7-3 in their second preliminary match to keep their chance of advancing the group alive.

On August 28, however, China lost again to Turkey in a match where they seemed to have had a chance to win, leaving them bottom of the group with one more match played.

"We played okay," said Cai in an interview with Xinhua, who is competing at his fourth Paralympics. "The young players have gained lots of experience."

"There's nothing different for us. We just wanted to play one match after another and give the best we can," Cai added.

With a 8-3 victory over Germany in their last preliminary match, China survived the group on goal difference.

Being recruited by the national goalball team in 2005, Cai has been the key player on the team for more than 10 years and one of the most decorated goalball athletes in history. Together with Chen, who made his debut for China in 2002, Cai provided 32 blocks in the final at the Beijing Paralympic Games to help China win the championship on the home soil.

Yu Qinquan of China competes during the men's quarterfinal of the goalball event between China and Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Chiba, Japan, Aug. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

If Cai was famous for his solid defense, Chen can be praised for his incisive offense as it only takes 0.3 seconds for his ball to go from one end to the other. With his unique throwing skills, Chen got the nickname the "Messi of goalball."

It wouldn't be possible for China to grab the comeback win at the Beijing Paralympic without Chen's two goals in the last 30 seconds.

"We may have an impairment but we are not lacking the courage to deal with life," Chen said.

"I really enjoyed playing goalball, for which I have sacrificed a lot but gained even more," Chen added. "Our team has encountered different kinds difficulties, injuries and retirements. But I'm satisfied with what our team has achieved so far."

When being asked about their words for each other, Cai smiled and said, "It's a secret between us. We are family."

After China defeated home favorites Japan 7-4 in the men's quarterfinals on Tuesday to move on at the Tokyo Paralympics, their legends continue.

"No matter what happens in the next two games, it has already been a satisfying answer to my career as an athlete after all these years," Chen said.