Xizang athletes find joy in adaptive sports

Despite the rain on a recent Sunday in Lhasa, the capital of the Xizang autonomous region, the atmosphere inside a local school gym was upbeat. Whoops and cheers echoed as members of the Lhasa City Wheelchair-Bound Basketball Team played their weekly game.

Founded in 2014 with support from the Lhasa Disabled Association, the team includes 12 players with physical disabilities, among them two women. Their ages range from 27 to 45, and they come from diverse work backgrounds.

Before hitting the court each Sunday, the group gathers at a Tibetan teahouse for breakfast, where they exchange jokes and pour tea for one another. "We may be physically challenged, but we're strong, energetic, and optimistic," said Tenzin, the team captain.

The players use specially designed wheelchairs with large, tilted wheels. Tenzin said the team aims to challenge stereotypes that people with disabilities are inactive. "Sports help us stay healthy and build strength," he added.

Dekyi Yangzom, known as Deyang, is one of the two female players and also the youngest player in the team. She has worked at the Xizang Blind Person's Association since 2016 and rarely misses a game. "Basketball makes me stronger, and it makes me happy," she said with a smile.