Wang Chunxing prepares to work as a member of the Jiangxi Red Cross Water Rescue Team. (Photo courtesy of Wang Chunxing)
For 66-year-old Wang Chunxing, swimming is not only something out of love but a tool to help others.
NANCHANG, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Before the first glare of the sun, 66-year-old Wang Chunxing slowly walked into the water. After a few strokes and kicks, he was a few meters away.
In the Olympic triathlon, a single standard distance of swimming is 1.5 kilometers. Wang's routine was about two kilometers at one time, and he swims almost every day. His health-tracking app recorded 30 times swimming in June, 29 times in July and 19 times in August - even among the dog days of summer, he still kept swimming at a high frequency.
Wang's fastest record, 25 minutes per kilometer, was not fast enough for professionals but sharps in amateurs. About three years ago, Nanchang Police Bureau held a five-kilometer swimming invitation with Wang's swimming club in the Ganjiang River. The youngsters weren't paying attention to Wang until the silver-haired crossed the finish line first.
Wang worked as a coal miner at an early age; he went to college later and settled in the field of geological exploration. Wang quipped that his daily work is either climbing mountains or walking, and perhaps he walks too much, and swimming has naturally become his lifelong hobby.
As a result of insisting on exercise, his heart rate keeps at a healthy rhythm of around 60 per minute, and his physical examination results have never been associated with hypertension, hyperlipidemia or hyperglycemia.
Five years ago, Wang retired and moved to Nanchang. He bought an apartment near Changtian Square, and he only needs to cross a road to get to the river.
Wang found his companions there.
"At first, there were about 20 people; most of them are over 60 years old, and they have swum for at least 10 years. They started swimming when they were young, and they swim almost all year round," said Wang.
The gentle current and wide vision lift the river swimmers' favorite, but it could also involve in accidents.
"If I saw someone in danger when I was swimming, I would certainly try to rescue him. But after all, I'm not professional," Wang said. He and his companions met the Jiangxi Red Cross Water Rescue Team which is always on duty at the riverside to prevent drowning.
Wang Chunxing is on guard along the Ganjiang River. (Photo courtesy of Wang Chunxing)
It's not easy for Wang and his companions to turn themselves from swimming lovers to professional rescuers. With the help of the rescue team, they learned artificial respiration, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other first-aid knowledge.
From 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., which is the most popular time for swimmers, the rescue team would take turns being on guard.
Different from the early morning, this time Wang would wear a life jacket with a throwing rope, a fishing rod and other rescue equipment in one hand and a speaker in the other. He would walk back and forth on the 5km embankment by the river until the tourists leave.
"I mainly dissuade the unattended juveniles and people who swim without safety protections," he said. Once, a young boy could not be seen after he just swam a few meters away, Wang quickly dived into the river and held him out of the water from behind. He later found out that it was just the boy's second try in the water.
Over time, the team's reputation spreads. Sometimes when passersby would call Wang's team directly as soon as they saw the danger. Wang said that summer vacation is a high-incidence period of drowning, in this period, the team almost dissuades 30 to 50 teenagers every day who are not accompanied by adults from swimming, and the numbers were higher on weekends.
For almost six years, Wang and his companions have rescued more than 30 people.
"There is a family behind each person, so it is equivalent to more than 30 families," he added.
Wang sets a goal, which is to keep up with these old friends in swimming before 70 years old, and he wants to strive to swim every day after 80. ■
