Imagine what would happen to an exceptional runner after one of her legs and a foot were amputated; few would envision her standing up again, never mind returning to sports. However, that is the story of Taiwanese record-holding ultramarathon runner Chiu Shu-jung (邱淑容), who had her right leg and left foot amputated after contracting a serious bacterial infection from broken blisters on the soles of her feet in August 2008.
Her infection started while she was competing in the 1,150km La Transe Gaule ultramarathon, in which she had to run from Roscoff, a small fishing village in northwestern France, to Gruissan-Plage in the south, in 18 days. Despite suffering broken blisters on the 16th day, Chiu insisted on completing the race. After the run, she was rushed to a hospital in Montpellier, France, where the amputations were carried out.
However, the 54-year-old miraculously survived. After a spending a month in a French hospital, she returned to Taiwan to continue treatment.
Photo: CNA
Over the past three years, Chiu, a state-run steel company employee, has maintained an optimistic attitude, refusing to give up hope as many people might have expected her to.
“Of course, I regret my decision to have continued the race, but what is done is done, so I decided to accept it,” Chiu said in a recent interview.
Chiu’s outstanding performance as a runner and her perseverance captured the attention of director Jang Da-jung (章大中), who decided to make a documentary about her, which will premiere in Greater Kaohsiung on Sunday at a film festival.
“I don’t believe an energetic person who can finish an 18-day run would be defeated by amputations,” Jang said.
Since early 2009, the director has followed Chiu and recorded her daily life to make the Chinese-language documentary.
The film crew also flew to France with Chiu in August last year, when Chiu returned to the finish line of the French ultramarathon on the last day of the annual event and met her fellow athletes.
“We all felt very touched at that moment,” Chiu recalled, teary eyed.
Chiu also visited the hospital where the amputations were carried out. The doctors were surprised to see her.
“The doctors said they would never forget Chiu, because she was a great reminder that they cannot give up on patients no matter what,” Jang said.
Although the accident took away parts of her body, it never diminished Chiu’s passion for sports.
Following months of recovery and therapy, Chiu can now pedal a tricycle and has completed three 42km marathon rides, besides walking well on her prosthetic limbs.
Through the documentary, Chiu hopes to encourage more disabled people to walk out of the shadows.
Echoing Chiu’s remarks, Jang said: “You cannot find a pessimistic side to Chiu.”
As its English title, Once A Runner, suggests, the 60-minute documentary features the story of a former runner. However, its Mandarin title, which refers to “an invisible track,” may fit her more.
“Now I am running on an ‘invisible’ track in an ultramarathon of my own life,” she said. “I have to deal with unknown challenges in the future.”
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