Yao lifts the spirits of youngsters in Gansu

JIUQUAN, Gansu province - China basketball icon Yao Ming inspired a group of intellectually-challenged teenagers from Jiuquan, Gansu province, through his mere presence on Thursday.

Twenty children with disabilities from a local special education school met their idol during a clinic and worked on the fundamentals of the game under the guidance of Yao, who has regularly attended events held by the Special Olympics International as a global ambassador since 2004.

Among all the children, Chen Xiaorong was the luckiest as she received a pair of running shoes from Yao.