ZHENG Tao

People's Republic of China
Swimming
25 Dec 1990
30
Male
S5
KUNMING
 
People's Republic of China
KUNMING
 
People's Republic of China

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
SWM Swimming Men's 50m Freestyle - S5 1 Gold Medal
Men's 100m Freestyle - S5 4
Men's 50m Backstroke - S5 1 Gold Medal
Men's 50m Butterfly - S5 1 Gold Medal
Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Relay - 20 Points
CHN
China
 1 Gold Medal

Records

Record Event Mark Date Location
WR Men's 50m Backstroke - S5 Final 31.42 30 August, 2021 Tokyo (JPN)
PR Men's 50m Backstroke - S5 Final 31.42 30 August, 2021 Tokyo (JPN)
PR Men's 50m Freestyle - S5 Final 30.31 1 September, 2021 Tokyo (JPN)

Schedule

Change
Start Time Location Event Status
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 100m Freestyle - S5 Heat 2
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Relay - 20 Points Heat 2
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 100m Freestyle - S5 Final
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Relay - 20 Points Final
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 50m Butterfly - S5 Heat 3
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 50m Butterfly - S5 Final
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 50m Backstroke - S5 Heat 2
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 50m Backstroke - S5 Final
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 50m Freestyle - S5 Heat 1
Finished
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Men's 50m Freestyle - S5 Final
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:
RankEventYearLocationResult
Paralympic Games
1100m Backstroke - S62016Rio de Janeiro, BRA1:10.84
1100m Backstroke - S62012London, GBR1:13.56
250m Butterfly - S62016Rio de Janeiro, BRA29.93
250m Butterfly - S62012London, GBR30.27
350m Freestyle - S62012London, GBR30.06
3200m Individual Medley - SM62012London, GBR2:44.38
1050m Freestyle - S62016Rio de Janeiro, BRA32.05
World Championships
1100m Backstroke - S62015Glasgow, GBR1:12.94
150m Butterfly - S62015Glasgow, GBR31.17
1100m Backstroke - S62013Montreal, QC, CAN1:14.00
150m Butterfly - S62013Montreal, QC, CAN29.95
250m Freestyle - S62015Glasgow, GBR30.56
250m Freestyle - S62013Montreal, QC, CAN30.24
4200m Individual Medley - SM62013Montreal, QC, CAN2:51.27
450m Butterfly - S62010Eindhoven, NED32.42
5100m Backstroke - S62010Eindhoven, NED1:19.86
8200m Individual Medley - SM62015Glasgow, GBR3:01.37
12100m Breaststroke - SB72015Glasgow, GBR1:41.33
16100m Freestyle - S62015Glasgow, GBR1:26.84
:
Fishing. (Athlete, 23 Aug 2021)
:
Athlete
:
Partner Yang Meili, child Zheng Ruqi
:
Mandarin
:
Yunnan Province [Kunming, CHN]
:
Zhang Honghu [club, national], CHN
:
2010 for China, World Championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands (Athlete, 11 Jul 2015)
:
He had a back injury when he competed at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (paralympic.org, 28 Dec 2016)
:
He took up the sport in 2004 in Kunming, People's Republic of China. (Athlete, 23 Aug 2021)
:
He was scouted by coach Zhang Honghu. (yuwenmi.com, 14 Sep 2016)
:
To win gold at the Paralympic Games. (Athlete, 23 Aug 2021)
:
Winning gold in the S6 100m backstroke at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (SportsDeskOnline, 18 Aug 2021; paralympic.org, 28 Dec 2016)
:
US swimmer Michael Phelps. (Athlete, 11 Jul 2015)
:
His coach. (Athlete, 23 Aug 2021)
:
"Higher, faster, stronger." (Athlete, 11 Jul 2015)
:
In 2012 he was named one of the Top 10 Personalities of Yunnan, People's Republic of China. (yunnan.cn, 01 Jan 2013)

He has received the May 4th Youth Medal in the People's Republic of China. (gov.cn, 12 Sep 2012)

General Interest

Classification
S5, SB6, SM5 (IPC, 18 Aug 2021)

Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency (yuwenmi.com, 14 Sep 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (yuwenmi.com, 14 Sep 2016)

Impairment Details
He lost his arms due to an electric shock when he was a child. (Athlete, 11 Jul 2015)

General
NOVEL INSPIRATION
His performance at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where he won gold in the S6 100m backstroke, provided the inspiration for the 2019 novel 'Murene' by French writer Valentine Goby. (franceculture.fr, 07 Oct 2019; gerardciefi.wixsite.com, 11 Nov 2019)

CHANGE IN TRAINING
He decided to reduce his training workload in 2017, having previously trained for 30 hours a week to prepare for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "I don't want to ever swim and train to win again. I only want to swim for the pleasure of swimming." (insidethegames.biz, 01 Jan 2017)

Legend
:
Gold Medal
:
Gold Medal Event
:
Silver Medal Event
:
Bronze Medal Event
PR:
Paralympic Record
WR:
World Record
Content 1 (removed through CDN)
Content 2 (removed through CDN).
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