Against the Tide

On Sept 21, at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, Jiang Yuyan, a young woman from Zhejiang, clinched the gold medal in the women's S6 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1：20.13, setting a new championship record for the event.

"In the water, I can determine the direction of my journey with my own strength," Jiang said to the world.

A car accident at the age of three cost Jiang her right arm and right leg. With the care and support of her family and society, she grew up learning and thriving alongside able-bodied children. At seven, Jiang began learning to swim. The patient guidance of her coaches, the unwavering companionship of her family, and the support from various sectors of society enabled her to swim farther and farther in the race of life. Her journey has been one of remarkable achievements: breaking three records at the Tokyo Paralympics, setting six new records at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, and winning seven gold medals at the Paris Paralympics.

The documentary Against the Tide was jointly planned by Zhejiang International Communication Center, College of Media and International Culture of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Disabled Persons' Federation, and the Zhejiang Women's Federation. Over several years, the filming team followed Jiang, documenting the extraordinary growth of this Chinese athlete.

In April 2025, Jiang Yuyan was honored with the Laureus World Sports Award for World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, becoming the first Chinese disabled athlete to receive this prestigious accolade. "Chase your dreams, because we are capable of achieving more than we imagine," she confidently declared from the podium. "The pool of life has no boundaries. The only rule is to courageously break through limits and never be defined!"