One-legged cyclist Wang Yonghai at Qinghai Lake.
Not long ago, "one-legged cyclist" Wang Yonghai was honored with the Award for the Spirit of Disabled Sports at the 2013 CCTV Sports Personality of the Year Awards. During the 2013 Tour of Qinghai Lake cycling race, this one-legged man from Shandong rode the entire course with extraordinary determination. Though the race ended, Wang Yonghai’s story remains by the beautiful shores of Qinghai Lake.
A car accident at the age of nineteen
In 1972, Wang Yonghai was born into an ordinary farming family in Zhigou Second Village, Zhucheng City, Shandong Province. At the age of 19, he was involved in a car accident that cost him his left leg.
"At first, it was really hard to adjust—both physically and mentally." One can only imagine the pain such misfortune brought to a teenager. But rather than being defeated, Wang Yonghai quickly rose from despair and bravely faced reality. After recovering, he first found work weighing goods at a local welfare dehydrating plant. When the plant closed a year later, Wang opened a fruit stand at Zhigou Railway Station. After two years of hard work, he saved enough to buy a tricycle and started working as a taxi driver, riding from dawn till dusk.
The bicycle became his left leg
In October 2002, while out on the road, he saw the national disabled cycling team training. That team instantly captured his heart, and joining them became his dream.
Cycling is not easy for someone with a disability. "Because balance is hard to control, I kept falling at first. I definitely couldn’t learn to ride a bike the way you do—I had to practice while holding onto a wall," Wang Yonghai said. He can’t remember how many times he fell. "My family got scared because of all the falls. The worst time, I scraped my whole left side."
Practice makes perfect. Wang Yonghai proudly said that maybe he had a talent for it, because before long, he had mastered his balance and could ride relatively smoothly. "Later on, I’d ride my bicycle into town, and everyone was amazed—after all, I only have one leg." Gradually, he grew to love the sport and actively pursued professional-level competition. Ten years of dedication paid off—he won nine medals, including six golds, in international and domestic events such as the World Para-cycling Championships and the National Para Games.
Racing the Tour of Qinghai Lake—and himself
"Participating in the Tour of Qinghai Lake has been a dream of mine." With this dream in mind, Wang Yonghai traveled alone by train to Xining, hoping to register for the race. Unfortunately, since he wasn’t registered with the International Cycling Union, he was told he wasn’t eligible to compete.
Although he didn’t get the chance to enter the enclosed track on the first day’s Xining circuit race, with the attitude of "I’m here now," starting from the second day, he decided to use the Tour of Qinghai Lake route to complete every stage of the race. This year’s Tour covered over 3,100 kilometers, including more than 1,100 kilometers of transfers, across 13 stages with just one rest day. He had never before taken part in a race of such intensity.
In order not to interfere with the regular athletes’ races, he had to start earlier than the other riders every day to use the track. And near the finish line, he would stop and wait until all the other riders had crossed before he finished himself. But during the third stage, with its steep slopes, the one-legged Wang Yonghai clearly struggled. By the time it was getting dark, while others had long returned to their hotels to rest, he still hadn’t reached the finish.
Wang Yonghai had never ridden the race route before. That night, he ended up staying at a local family’s house. "They were shocked when they saw me." Normally, wherever he went, he had to find his own food and lodging.
After 13 days, Wang Yonghai finally completed all the stages.
At the 2013 CCTV Sports Personality of the Year Awards ceremony, he expressed his love for cycling and concern for environmental protection. He called out: "People around the world who own cars should ride bicycles more to keep fit. Driving one less day is good for low-carbon and environmental protection."