Feature: China's teen Para biathlete Guo makes history through 5-year efforts

CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Without any impressive records before, Guo Yujie, a 17-year-old Para biathlete, has become China's first-ever female Winter Paralympic champion in an individual event.

As one of the 85 Paralympic debutants of the 96-strong Chinese delegation, Guo, one of the flagbearers in the 2022 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in Beijing on Friday night, beat the hot favorite, the 28-year-old Liudmyla Liashenko from Ukraine, to win the women's sprint standing gold here on Saturday morning.

It is the first-ever gold for a Chinese woman on snow and in an individual event in the Winter Paralympic history which witnessed China's first medal (a gold) emerging at PyeongChang 2018 from the mixed team event of wheelchair curling.

It is also the second gold for host China, following the men's sprint sitting title claimed by Para biathlete Liu Zixu earlier in the Day One competition.

Born on March 16, 2004, Guo has got the best gift for her coming-of-age ceremony.

Recalling holding the national flag with her right arm at the opening ceremony, Guo, who has been suffering from a congenital left arm impairment, said, "I felt very great and proud."

"As a flagbearer, I was also very nervous when I entered the Bird's Nest yesterday (at the opening ceremony). It was also a bit stressful for today's race," she added.

"After the ceremony, I came back after midnight and got up late this morning at almost 9:30, so it's beyond my expectation to take the gold," she said.

In the 6km race combining cross-country skiing and two rounds of shooting, Guo established the lead after the first shooting.

"I didn't know it at all at that time. When I skied uphill, my coach told me that I was in first, but I didn't believe it. I thought he was lying to motivate me to ski fast. Then at the last sprint, he told me that I was in first place. All I thought was to ski faster, and don't let anyone catch up," Guo said.

"Skiing uphill was hard for me. I focused on shooting, especially precision and speed," she added.

Liashenko, the bronze medalist at PyeongChang 2018, missed two shots and finished second with a gap of 8.4 seconds.

Starting the sport five years ago when she was 12, Guo made up her mind to compete at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. She said that winter sports gave her a sensation of flying that she enjoyed.

"I worked hard every day. I followed my coach's instructions and stepped up my efforts," Guo said.

On competing in her hometown of Zhangjiakou, Guo said, "My parents, my relatives, and my friends were watching me on TV. They are all very proud of me. I want to say that I have lived up to your expectations. And I feel so great to win for my hometown and motherland."

On how she thinks her gold medal might inspire people with disabilities, Guo said, "We disabled people are not bad at anything. We can stand on the podium of the Games, we can become the world champions. You shouldn't belittle yourself just because of the identity of being disabled."