5 Facts About...Hongzhuan Zhou

What you need to know about China's 5-time Paralympic champion wheelchair racer ahead of London 2017. 05 Jul 2017
Imagen
Hongzhuan Zhou of China competes at the Women's 800m - T53 Final during day 10 of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games

Hongzhuan Zhou of China competes at the Women's 800m - T53 Final during day 10 of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games

ⒸGetty Images
By IPC

New to the ‘Ones to Watch’ list this year, Hongzhuan Zhou competes in the T53 class for wheelchair racers. The multiple Paralympic and world champion will be a key contender for gold at the World Para Athletics Championships which start on Friday 14 July. Here’s what you need to know:

Five Facts About Hongzhuan Zhou

1. Zhou contracted polio aged three.

2. She took up Para athletics in 2004, at 16-years-old.

3. Four years later in 2008 she won gold, silver and bronze medals at her home Paralympics in Beijing.

4. The 28-year-old has won five individual Paralympic titles across three separate Games.

5. To date she has won 12 World Championship medals, in events ranging from the 100m sprint to 5,000m distance races.