Hong Kong wheelchair boxing pioneer hopes more will take up sport
A champion rock climber who was left a paraplegic after a motorcycle accident has turned his hand to wheelchair boxing in an effort to inspire others
Lai Chi-wai is hoping to get in the ring for his second boxing match in September, after claiming victory in his debut fight in March. He had taken up the sport just five months earlier, but the rapid ascent came naturally to Lai. He had previously been a champion rock climber, earning medals in many local and international competitions.
Almost four years ago, however, Lai suffered a devastating blow when he was involved in an accident while riding his motorbike on a Tuen Mun highway. He still has no recollection of the crash.
"When I woke up, I was already in the hospital and had been operated on. The staff told me … I was paralysed from the waist down and would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life," says Lai, 32.
As cruel a fate as the accident was for Lai, he had always been a keen sportsman and his fighting spirit gave him the strength to carry on. Although he still attends regular rehabilitation sessions, Lai has also gone on to become a climbing instructor and consultant. He is also a much sought after motivational speaker. Lai's ability to bounce back and inspire others with his story earned him recognition in the Junior Chamber International Hong Kong's annual Ten Outstanding Young Persons awards last year.
Last October, Lai watched videos of wheelchair boxing on the internet and was inspired to try it himself. But finding somewhere to train was difficult. He says he approached several gyms but they either did not take him seriously or said it would be inconvenient.
Then he met Joey Chan Chi-sang, managing director of Everlast Fight & Fitness, and was offered the opportunity to train for free at the company's Causeway Bay gym. Boxing has since become Lai's main sporting activity and he practices twice a week.