Chinese disabled runner Li Maoda makes touching performance

Li Maoda, right, competes in the men's 200m T42 final in the 9th National Games for the Disabled in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Sept 16, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

CHENGDU -- Disabled runner Li Maoda will be gifted new sporting prosthesis after his touching performance at the ninth Chinese National Games for Disabled on Wednesday.

The first race day witnessed Li Maoda, a national record holder in the men's 100m T42, fell down in the middle of the race after his sporting prosthesis suddenly detached. However, Li chose to stand up, grabbed the prosthesis in hand and finished the race by jumping with one leg.

"I didn't think too much," said the the athlete from Shandong province of China. "But I know I shall made to the finish line and not to give up halfway."

As a former worker, Li lost his right leg in an accident in 2009. Now he is a disabled runner who just refreshed national record of the men's 200m T42 this morning.

China Disabled Persons' Federation announced that they will present Li a high-level sporting prosthesis to award his spirit.

"Many thanks," said Li. "I will train harder to performance better, and inspire more disables people. There's nothing to fear being physically disabled, what matters is the way you think about it."