Wheelchair Athletes: Champions in Life's Marathon,Saluting Those Who Finish Last but Never Quit
这群“轮椅跑者”都是人生赛道上的冠军，为跑在最后但不放弃的他们喝彩
极目新闻记者 陈倩 高伟
通讯员 何莉莉 李慧敏 赵平
翻译 韩晓龙 张梦琦 卫拉（湖北大学）
Jimu News Reporters: Chen Qian, Gao Wei
Correspondents: He Lili, Li Huimin, Zhao Ping
Translators: Han Xiaolong, Zhang Mengqi, Lisa M. K. (Hubei University)
5月10日9时，第六届全国肢残人轮椅马拉松赛于湖北荆门鸣枪开赛。来自全国各地42支代表队的352名轮椅马拉松运动员，在全长6公里的赛道上展开角逐。发令声一响起，参赛选手们用手臂驱动轮椅，向着前方冲去。“一对一”陪跑志愿者和赛道两旁的观众，都为选手们鼓劲加油。最终，宁夏代表队杨世全获得男子组冠军，湖北代表队张婷获得女子组冠军。
At 9:00 a.m. on May 10, the 6th National Wheelchair Marathon for Paraplegics officially kicked off in Jingmen, Hubei Province. A total of 352 wheelchair marathoners representing 42 teams nationwide competed on the 6-kilometer racecourse. As the starting gun fired, athletes propelled their wheelchairs forward with their arms, charging ahead energetically. "One-on-one" guide runners and spectators along the route enthusiastically cheered the athletes on. Ultimately, Yang Shiquan from the Ningxia team claimed the men's championship, while Zhang Ting from the Hubei team led the women's marathon.
A scene from the marathon Photos provided by the correspondents 比赛现场（通讯员供图）
6公里的赛道，对健全人来说，也许没有多大的难度。但是对坐轮椅的人来说，这也许已经超过他们中很多人走过的最远的路。
For the non-disabled, a 6-kilometer course may not pose a significant challenge. Yet for wheelchair athletes, this distance may surpass the farthest many have ever traversed.
5月10日，第六届全国肢残人轮椅马拉松赛在湖北省荆门市举行，来自全国各地42支代表队的352名轮椅马拉松运动员，在全长6公里的赛道上角逐。
On May 10th, the 6th National Wheelchair Marathon for Paraplegics officially commenced in Jingmen, Hubei Province. A combined 352 wheelchair marathon athletes from 42 teams nationwide participated in the 6-kilometer race.
A scene from the marathon Photos provided by the correspondents 比赛现场（通讯员供图）
比赛中，极目新闻记者没有跟随跑在最前面的选手，而是跟在了“队尾”。那些落在最后的跑手们，他们没有因为落后而放弃，依然坚持跑完了全程。他们用自己的努力证明，没有比人更高的山，没有比脚更长的路。
During the race, JIMU News reporters opted to follow the athletes at the rear of the pack rather than the frontrunners. These athletes, though falling behind, toughed it out and completed the entire course. Through sheer determination, they demonstrated an enduring truth: No mountain is insurmountable to the human spirit, and no journey too long for steadfast determination.
A scene from the marathon Photos provided by the correspondents比赛现场（通讯员供图）
这场开始于上午9时的轮椅马拉松，湖北荆门选手赖晓晓一直落在后面。轮椅在她的控制下显得十分笨拙，总是会向一边跑偏，甚至差点撞上马路牙子。志愿者一次次帮助她重新回到正确的赛道，但是轮椅的前进路线还是歪歪扭扭。在整个队列的尾部，像这样“蛇形走位”的选手还有不少，他们和前面的选手迅速被拉开差距。离赛道3公里的调头处还有三分之一左右路程时，很多排在前面的选手已经折返，而落后的选手依然在努力地向前滑动着。
The wheelchair marathon, which started at 9 a.m., saw Lai Xiaoxiao from Jingmen, Hubei Province, falling behind throughout. Her self-propelled wheelchair veered erratically, frequently swerving off-course and nearly hitting the curb. Volunteers repeatedly guided her back on course, yet the chair continued its zigzagging trajectory. Many other stragglers could be seen exhibiting similar "snake-like movement", quickly falling behind. Roughly a third of the way to the 3-kilometer turnaround point, most leading athletes were well on their way back as the latecomers laboriously pushed forward.
为了保证比赛公平，组委会为所有参赛选手配备了统一的轮椅。但是每位选手的身体情况不一样，有的人连弯腰的动作都无法完成，只能完全靠手部力量转动轮椅，有的人则很少跑这么远的距离。而且，对包括赖晓晓在内的大部分选手来说，刚配发的新轮椅没有自己平时使用的轮椅用得顺手，这些都增加了他们比赛的难度。
To ensure fairness, the organizing committee had provided all athletes with standardized wheelchairs. However, each athlete's physical condition varied significantly: some were unable to bend over, having to rely entirely on arm strength to propel their wheelchairs, while others were unaccustomed to such a long distance. Moreover, for most athletes, including Lai Xiaoxiao, the newly issued wheelchairs were less comfortable to maneuver than their personal wheelchairs, all of which added to the challenge of their race.
等到最后一位选手通过调头处，远处的终点传来排在前面选手的欢呼声。但是他们没有放弃，仍然努力地控制着轮椅，一点点向终点接近。
As the final finishers reached the turnaround point, the cheers of the athletes ahead echoed from the distant finish line. Yet this final batch of marathoners were undeterred, continuing to maneuver their wheelchairs as they steadily inched towards the finish line.
A scene from the marathon Photos provided by the correspondents比赛现场（通讯员供图）
“加油！加油！”赛道边，观赛市民把他们的热情，没有差别地分享给比赛优胜者和排在最后的选手。每位选手身后，都有志愿者跟随。志愿者身后则跟着医疗救护车辆，随时准备提供帮助。
Go! Go!! Spectators along the track showered both frontrunners and latecomers in an outpour of support. Each athlete was followed by a volunteer, with medical vehicles trailing closely behind, ready to assist at any time.
6公里的赛道上，没有一位选手退出。宁夏选手杨世全获得男子组冠军，这是他连续三届夺冠。冲线后，为了躲避摩托车，他不慎滑倒。但他毫不在意：“我在平常的训练中也会摔倒，每次都是爬起来继续奔跑。”
Not a single runner withdrew from the 6-kilometer race. Yang Shiquan from the Ningxia team claimed the men's championship, marking his third consecutive victory. Crossing the finish line, he slipped while avoiding a motorcycle but shrugged it off: "I fall during training too. I just get back up and keep going."
武汉选手董战军2004年因工伤致残。2018年，他为了健身成为轮椅跑者，2019年汉马第一次参加健康跑，2023年开始参加全马赛事。在潜江马拉松上，他用时3小时29分跑完全程。今年以来，他先后参加了九江、仙桃、咸宁等多站马拉松比赛，5月25日还要去兰州参加马拉松。在仙桃，他跑了4公里后轮椅出现故障，他只能扶着一边的轮子，用单手滑行了16公里才找到轮椅维修点。即便这样，他还是用3小时36分完成了比赛。
Wuhan participant Dong Zhanjun, who was disabled in a 2004 work accident, began wheelchair running in 2018 for fitness purposes. He joined the Han (Wuhan) Marathon's health run in 2019 and progressed to full marathon events by 2023. At the Qianjiang Marathon, he completed the race in 3 hours and 29 minutes. This year, he has already competed in marathons in Jiujiang, Xiantao, and Xianning, with plans to race in Lanzhou on May 25. During the Xiantao event, his wheelchair broke down after 4 kilometers. Undeterred, he maneuvered with one hand for 16 kilometers until reaching a repair station. Despite the setback, he finished in 3 hours and 36 minutes.
本届轮椅马拉松比赛，最后一位选手用了大约1小时。虽然到达终点的时间不同，但对每一位参赛选手来说，他们都是人生赛道上的冠军。
The final wheelchair marathoner crossed the finish line in about an hour. While their times varied, all athletes proved themselves champions on life's own track.