A Story of an Athlete
Wai-leung Cheung
Chief Instructor, Fire Service Training School,
Hong Kong Fire Services Department, Hong Kong
Abstract Everyone has his/her own story. This paper tries to address that everyone can be successful if he/she tries. A personal experience will be shared with other people, both disabled and non disabled. Many obstacles encountered and overcame may be faced by some people. This paper can inspire young people to exceed their potential and create positive changes towards a better life in future.
I joined the Hong Kong Fire Services in 1982 while I was 23 years old.
In 1983, I was posted to Wanchai Fire Station, the most busiest fire station in Hong Kong Island, as a probationary station officer. My job was a firemen team leader to save people's life and property from danger.
On 9 September 1983, Huge Typhoon "Ellen" attacked Hong Kong. I was seriously injured while I was carrying out a rescue operation to rescue an old lady in a landslide accident. I was pushed into the sea while my colleague was crushed against the rocks and died. I stuck in the mud and almost died in that accident. Luckily, I was saved by other colleagues and sent to the Queen's Mary Hospital. In order to save my life my rotten left leg was amputated above knee. At that moment, all my hopes were shattered by the sudden change. I required not only to overcome the pain of my wounds but also to fight for a better life for my future. With my family's support, I learned how to stand up again with my artificial leg in a very short time and got positive attitudes to facing barriers in the following years. After 17 years hardworking in Hong Kong Fire Services Department, I have climbed for the ranks to Assistant Divisional Officer without favouritism. At present I have been posted to the Fire Services Training School as a Chief Instructor since 2 January 1999.
My disability did not fend off my enthusiasm for sports. I did participate in swimming and basketball training to keep my body fitness at a very high level. I started to take up fencing in 1991.
Once I was introduced to this sport, I became interested in this kind of game which involves both wits and physical fitness. I devoted myself to fencing and tried my very best in every competition. While other fencers quit the training class and I was the only one who chose to stay.
Like many beginners, I imitated other successful players' moves when I first started fencing. I tried to learn from other fencers but I found myself copying their errors as well. Then I realized asking for advice was very important. I was lucky to meet my coach Mr. WANG who was the previous coach of the national team of Mainland China. He taught me new skills how to play good fencing. I trained up myself very hard not only in the fencing techniques but also my physical fitness.
In 1994, I took part in my first international fencing event, the World Wheel Chair Fencing Championships, which was held in Hong Kong. I came the sixth in the individual foil event and was awarded the Best Novice Award. That was a good start for me.
I attended special training sessions held in several cities of Mainland China e.g. Beijing, Nanjing and Guangzhou. My teammates and I learned how to fence better from the top fencing teams in China; obviously we grew stronger after these hard trainings.
I have the shortest reach of all the existing world's leading fencers, but I turn this "disadvantage" into my main advantage. For example, if I lean forward and deflect my opponent's blade past me, then I can get inside his defences and exploit my speed to attack. In fencing, training our mind is very important. One method I used is to sit with my eyes closed and visualise myself making a perfect attack. I play out in my mind different scenarios, how I can react. I don't think negative thoughts. I concentrate only on keeping a positive attitude, on pinpointing what I have to do better. It is the same with fencing. If I worry too much about winning or losing, I shall have no power to analyse the situation calmly and pinpoint my opponent's weaknesses.
I trained three times a week, about two to three hours per day, at the Hong Kong Sports Institute where I was a scholarship athlete. Although I worked during the day and trained after office hours, what's important was the quality of the training. The training was hardest on the elbows and other joints. I did exercise such as finger press-ups. Sometimes, the day after a training session, I could hardly move my fingers. But I pushed myself to accept the pain because I knew that I needed to overcome my disability. To be a good fencer, I trained myself with a very strong arm muscles and quick reactions against the opponent's actions. I also equipped myself with good analytic power to pinpoint the weakness of the opponent within a flash of lightning. It is a must for me to perform to the best of my standard under whatever conditions either winning or losing.
With the great support from the Hong Kong Government, the AFS&OC, the Sports Development Board, the Hong Kong Sports Institute, and the Hong Kong Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, we have got a lot of chances to take part in various intensive training and some International Fencing Competitions since 1994. It helped to keep our performance at a very high level. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Mr. A. de. O. Sales who made a lot of efforts and contributions to enhance both non-disabled and disabled sports in Hong Kong for years.
My first gold medal came in 1995 at the Italy Invitational Wheelchair Fencing Competition. The success boosted the confidence of not only myself, but also the entire Hong Kong Team. In addition, I won the Champion of Foil Individual in Italy in the following three consecutive years from 1996 to 1998 and the gold medal in the 1997 Hungarian International Wheelchair Fencing Competition. In 1996, I got four gold medals in the Atlanta Paralympic Games, it is the highest point any fencer can reach. Winning in Atlanta has given me the chance to explain to the general public that disabled athletes can achieve very good results and great contribution to the community.
Because of my courage in the rescuing operation, I was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1984. Besides, with my good performance in these years, I was also awarded the honor of M.B.E. by the British Royal in 1997, the Outstanding Young Person of Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Junior Chamber in 1997, and the Outstanding Young Person of the World by the Junior Chamber International in 1998.
Regarding my involvement in rehabilitation and community services, I am now an Equal Opportunities Ambassador of the Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission, the Vice-Chairperson of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, the Vice-Chairperson of the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth, and the Chairperson of the Rehabus Management Committee.
In Conclusion, I hope that this paper can inspire the young persons, non-disabled and disabled, to exceed their potential and create positive change towards a better life in future.
Asia and Pacific Journal on Disability
Vol. 2, No. 1, May 1999
Contributed by Mr. Tsuyoshi Takeda, Asahi Shimbum Newspaper
ISSN 1029-4414