In 2010, the 14-year-old Huang Haiti won three gold medals in his first special Olympics swimming competition. Courtesy of respondents
Chengdu, China News Network, December 16 Title: Cerebral palsy teenager who won 14 gold medals at the National Special Olympics: Embracing the new identity of a barista, chasing dreams never stops
Author Chen Xuanbin Yue Yitong
"If you're not happy with the coffee I made, I can make a new cup." A few days ago, in a coffee shop with mentally handicapped people as the main employees in Chengdu's Jinjiang District, Huang Haidi, who has a second-degree intellectual disability, greeted customers with unskilled service skills. After shedding the aura of the "14 Golden Kings" in the swimming event of the National Special Olympics Games, he is now a trainee barista at the coffee shop.
In 2015, the sixth National Special Olympics was held in Chengdu, and Huang Haitian became a torchbearer at his doorstep. Courtesy of respondents
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy after birth, at the age of 14, he won 3 gold medals in the first special Olympics national special olympics, and won the first gold medal in the swimming event of the 8th National Special Olympics this year... This is the "counterattack life" of the 25-year-old Huang Haitian from a boy with cerebral palsy to a swimming genius.
"I won 3 gold medals in the first [Special Olympics] competition, and I was so happy that I won the glory for Sichuan." Because of the low memory caused by cerebral palsy, Huang Haidi can no longer remember how many times he participated in the National Special Olympics or even won many gold medals, but he still remembers that when he first left Sichuan for Fujian to participate in the Fifth National Special Olympics, he gained unprecedented recognition and honor.
Since then, Every National Special Olympics, Huang Haitian has not been absent, and he has proved himself with one gold medal after another. In 2015, the sixth National Special Olympics was held in Chengdu, and Huang Haidi became a torchbearer at his doorstep, earning 2 gold and 1 silver; in 2019, he participated in the 7th National Special Olympics and won 4 gold and 1 silver.
On October 26 this year, at the 8th National Special Olympics Conference held in Shaanxi, Huang Haiti won the first place in the men's 22-29 years old 50-meter breaststroke with a time of 50.49 seconds, winning the first gold medal in the swimming event of the Special Olympics. Huang Haiti won a total of 5 gold medals at this Special Olympics, bringing the total number of special Olympics gold medals to 14.
In the eyes of outsiders, Huang Haitian is tall and burly, and he is born to be a piece of "material" for practicing sports. But what few people know is that the reason why the Yellow Haiti and swimming are related is precisely because of the frailty and illness when I was a child. Huang Haitian's mother, Gong Zhongxia, recalled that four or five-year-old Little Haiti would wrestle after walking a few more steps, and looking at the bruises on her child's body made her feel painful, "Haiti has been afraid of water since she was a child, but in order to let him practice his balance and lower limb strength, I still let him learn to swim with the coach." ”
In 2021, at the 8th National Special Olympics, Huang Haiti won a total of 5 gold medals. Courtesy of respondents
After learning to swim at the age of 5, Huang Haidi changed from a "sick seedling" in his mother's eyes to a "good seedling" in the eyes of his coach. Gong Zhongxia said that the coach found that he not only had good bouncing power and fast running, but also felt particularly good after entering the water, especially in the breaststroke.
"Swimming is good, swimming is split track, I won't get hurt." When asked why he loves swimming, Huang Haitian's answer was a little distressing. In his view, swimming not only made him no longer prone to falling and injuring, but also accompanied him through the childhood when he rarely had friends to play with.
Huang Haitian now works as a trainee barista in a coffee shop with mentally handicapped people as its main employees. Photo by Chen Xuanbin
In November 2018, Huang Haidi successfully passed the examination to enter the current café, making pastries and brewing coffee became his daily work, and colleagues with mental disabilities in the store also became his good partners. After Returning from the 8th National Special Olympics in Yellow Haiti, the shopkeepers also launched a "Big Shark Horn Bag" to celebrate him. "Because they say I'm like a big shark when I swim, and I'm very good in the water." Huang Haitian said shyly.
In order to let more people know about Huang Haitian's "gold medal life" and help more people with mental disabilities build confidence in life, the manager of the coffee shop also invited Huang Haidi to display the gold medals he won at the previous National Special Olympics in the store. Because of his smile and love to talk, the coffee break service in the store will arrange Yellow Haiti, and he also earns the cost of living and training with his hard work.
Huang Haiti has participated in four consecutive National Special Olympics and won a total of 14 gold medals. Photo by Chen Xuanbin
From a Special Olympics champion to a barista, Huang Haitian is well attuned to his identity. He said: "I like to drink coffee, I also like to brew coffee, and I am very satisfied with the recognition of my guests." ”
Will you continue to participate in special Olympics National? There is no answer to this question in The Yellow Haiti. He said he would continue to practice until he could not swim to compete. "I'm busy with my coffee shop now, and I'm going to practice swimming when I have time. In the future, I want to practice swimming well, brew coffee well, and be a qualified barista. (End)
Source: China News Network