The scene picture of Lin Ximei in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Guangzhou athlete Lin Ximei secured China's first gold medal in the Women's individual BC4  match at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Sept 2. The thrilling victory over Cheung Yuen of Hong Kong, with a scoreline of 5-1, marked a new chapter in China's Paralympic boccia annals.

The match was held at the South Paris Arena. Lin dominated proceedings from the outset, racing into a 5-0 lead across the first three ends, including a decisive three-point blitz in the third. Cheung managed to claw back a solitary point in the final stanza, but it was too little, too late as Lin exulted in triumph, arms raised high, shouting, "I've made history!"

Boccia is a stronghold for Hong Kong, China Delegation, but Lin's triumph underscores the rapid progress made by the Chinese mainland in the sport, particularly in Guangzhou, her registered city and a pioneer in developing boccia domestically. Lin and Cheung have a storied rivalry, having faced off on numerous occasions, including last year's Hangzhou Asian Para Games and the Hong Kong 2023 World Boccia Asia, where Lin partnered Zheng Yuansen to twice defeat the Hong Kong duo of Leung Yuk Wing and Cheung Yuen. However, in the preliminary round of the current Paralympic Women's individual BC4 match, Lin suffered a setback, losing 2-6 to Cheung after leading 2-0.

From a small village in Huilai County, Jieyang City, Lin's journey into sports began humbly. She was diagnosed with congenital muscular weakness when she was young, with lifting a mere half-kilogram dumbbell as her physical limit. In 2012, she was selected for intensive training with the Guangdong provincial boccia team, and the following year, she was elevated to the national squad, going on to represent China with distinction at various international events, including the Paralympics and Asian Para Games.