Limited by eyesight, still squaring off with fists

In the boxing ring, 51-year-old Deng Xuemei reveled in the delivery of every jab and hook, her body glistening with sweat. Visually impaired, she relied on her other senses — now acutely heightened — to discern her opponent's position.

Deng was part of a public welfare event that unfolded in Chongqing on Aug 31. Nineteen participants with partial vision donned boxing gear and attempted to break through their sensory limitations, discovering new joy in the sport.

The temporary arena at Longfor Paradise Walk in Chongqing's College City was marked with lines to accommodate four pairs of people — each pair consisting of a partially sighted participant and a volunteer. They worked together to practice moves. A one-on-one match would come later.

Two coaches gave instructions on how to focus the force of a punch, execute a hook and maintain balance.

At first, Deng's punches were tentative as she sought to find a rhythm and adapt to the action. But she quickly adjusted to the sounds around her and became sharply accurate.

"At first, I was really nervous and didn't know where to put my hands and feet," Deng said. "Thanks to the personal hands-on guidance from the professional coaches and volunteers, I gradually mastered the basic movements."

Fighters were instructed to punch slowly at first, one punch at a time, and then gradually build up to a sequential flurry. Mistakes were rare — such as when a visually impaired participant accidentally hit a volunteer in the face. They were advised beforehand not to punch upward.

"The key for us in boxing is to react quickly, depriving the opponent of time to assess the situation," Deng said. "Otherwise, you could really get killed on the defensive."

After half an hour of practice, a brief match between two visually impaired contestants — without volunteer assistants — was arranged. Everyone got a turn.

"After the practice, the match was particularly exhilarating," Deng said. "My opponent and I leaped into the fray and punched like we were fighting an enemy."

She said her hands and feet were sore afterward.

"It definitely feels different to running," she said.

All the participants were members of the Chongqing branch of the national nonprofit charity program Running in the Dark.

Established in Shanghai in 2016, the group supports partially sighted runners and has expanded to 27 branches nationwide. Some branches offer activities such as hiking, cycling and swimming.

The Chongqing branch, created in October 2022, now has more than 200 partially sighted members and a volunteer base of more than 400 from diverse backgrounds.

Wang Xiao, 35, joined the branch in 2023 and has supported Deng as a volunteer in various activities. They have a strong rapport.

"I don't worry at all that Deng will punch me in the face," Wang said.

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.

With regular training sessions once or twice a month at local sports fields, over 30 members have participated in marathons with the assistance of volunteer escorts.

"They should have the opportunity to experience life and engage in new ways," Lu said. "It's an intrinsic human need."

He added that while society's attention to the sight-impaired community is increasing, he hopes to see more rapid progress. He looks forward to the day when stereotypes are abandoned and support becomes more substantial.

In the coming year, he plans to introduce kayaking and paddleboarding to the branch.

According to the China Disabled Persons' Federation, the partially sighted population exceeded 17 million in China.

The boxing event was organized with the help of Lan Xia, a volunteer and head of marketing for Chinese sporting goods brand Li-Ning in Chongqing. She led the brand's sponsorship of the event, whose shared goals were summed up by Lu:

"We serve as their eyes, but they help us see from our souls. Each makes the other better. By removing the obstacles they face in sports participation, we hope to create close bonds."

Yang Shujie contributed to this story.