Limited by eyesight, still squaring off with fists

Liu Yuxia, chair of the Chongqing association of persons with visual disabilities, praised the program's positive contributions.

"Because of mobility challenges, the sports available to this community are limited. But fortunately, many compassionate organizations and individuals offer sports activities, allowing blind people to experience the fulfillment that sports bring."

Lu Wei, 52, founder of the Chongqing branch of Running in the Dark, said the boxing event surpassed expectations.

"Everyone seemed fully engaged and had a great time," he said.

Several months ago, Lu came up with the idea of letting his branch members try boxing. A long-time runner, he began entering marathons 10 years ago. He served as the escort for Yan Wei, the first partially sighted runner from the Chinese mainland to finish the Boston Marathon, the world's oldest annual marathon and one of the top six major races globally.

Under Lu's leadership, the Chongqing branch organized multiple activities and achieved many firsts. In November, for example, it promoted Running in the Dark's first Chinese literature classes. During the 2024 Shanghai Marathon, branch members Chen Hong, 51, and Lei Na, 41, became the first visually impaired couple in China to complete a 42.19-kilometer full marathon, finishing in 5 hours and 47 minutes.