Dalian Girl to Compete in Miss Deaf World 2003

From: People's Daily Online, China - Jul 20, 2003

The Miss Deaf World 2003 contest to be held in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, on July 19 will be attended by 25-year-old Dalian native, Zhang Huanying, China's first competitor in the competition.

According to the rules, each country has only one contestant to join in the competition. Earlier this year, the China Disabled Persons' Federation started to select competitors from Shanghai , Qingdao as well as Dalian City. Finally, Dalian native Zhang Huanying came to the fore thanks to her excellent personal quality and was appointed to represent China in the contest in the Czech Republic.

The New Business reported that, 25-year-old Zhang Huanying is 1.7m tall and weighs 51 kilograms. Despite being congenitally deaf, she has an angel-like appearance. Currently she works as an operator for the Mabuchi Motor Dalian Co. Ltd and is also a member of the Dalian deaf-mute model team. She has lived with her grandmother in Dalian's Xianglujiao since she was nine years old.

Being clever and diligent, Zhang is a girl with many talents. The physical deformity never beats her down. In the 12 years of study at Dalian school for the deaf, she not only joined the school's model team but was good at dancing. She is also a master sprinter and a veteran model as she once joined in the National Games for the Disabled in 1996 and the model team in the Dalian International Fashion Festival in 1998.

When interviewed, Zhang, a lively and natural girl, told the reporter with her sign language that her most favorite thing is to walk with the model poses and her greatest wish is to be a professional model. When asked whether the competition could lead her to success, Zhang responded quite calmly. Nevertheless she felt very happy and proud to be the girl who represents China to compete in the match. With a graceful gesture, she "told" the reporter that she was very confident of winning a good place in the contest.

Zhang's model coach Gao Xuemei said that Zhang's body shape training started since April this year. She thought that with excellent comprehensive quality, Zhang had both a graceful figure and a nice temperament. Moreover, the quick-witted girl is very adaptable. It is reported that the contest consists of several parts, including talent, intermezzo, and swimwear. Zhang will perform a beautiful Chinese folk dance in the talent section.

Being different from normal beauty contests, the annual Miss Deaf World's contestants are all deaf-mutes from various countries. The "Miss Deaf World 2003" is to be held on July 19, in the congress center in the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague. This year is the first year that China has sent its contestant to the competition. (china.org.cn)

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