Dong (center) is training for Sanda combat.
The Tough Guy competition is one of the most brutal contests in the world today.
Wuhan native Dong Xiang, who has arrived in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, received an official notification from the headquarters of the British Tough Guy competition. He will wear the number 4850 uniform and participate in the winter edition of the Tough Guy competition to be held in the UK in January next year. He is the first person from mainland China to sign up for the competition.
Video: Participants in the British Tough Guy competition roll around in mud wearing bizarre costumes. Source: Oriental Satellite TV's "Oriental Noon News."
Starting yesterday, Dong began a three-month-long intensive simulation training program.
It is reported that the Tough Guy competition held in South Staffordshire, England, on the last weekend of January each year not only offers no prize money but also requires participants to pay an entry fee. Competitors must sign a waiver with the competition headquarters; if they are injured, disabled, or even die during the four-hour race, it is their own responsibility. Over the years, contestants in the Tough Guy competition have mainly come from Europe and America. To date, Asians have only been represented by Koreans and Japanese in the summer version of the Tough Guy competition, while very few Asians have participated in the true winter version. After running cross-country for thirteen kilometers, competitors must jump into icy lakes and marshes to continue their struggle, making this one of the most brutal competitions in the world.
Self-funded £30,000
For adaptive training in the UK
Dong Xiang, aged 40, is from Jianghan District and works as the manager of Wuhan Aoxing Building Intelligent System Engineering Company. In order to realize his dream of participating in the British Tough Guy competition, he self-funded £30,000 at the end of August this year to travel to the UK for adaptive training. As the only contestant from mainland China, he has already made full psychological preparations for the upcoming 13,000-meter long-distance run, crawling under barbed wire, swimming in frozen lakes, crossing marshes, passing through fiery obstacles, and other 25 projects. Every day, he persists in running 10,000 to 20,000 meters quickly in Glasgow, Scotland, and practices climbing, swimming, and crawling forward at night.
Persisting in physical exercise for over 20 years
Family fully supports his participation
Yesterday, reporters visited Dong's home and saw many tools he uses for exercise: mountaineering equipment, swimming gear, and sports items. Especially notable is his set of mountaineering equipment, including ropes, shoes, grappling hooks, ice axes, and high-altitude, cold-weather protective gear.
Dong's wife told reporters that he has never stopped exercising for over 20 years. He runs at least five kilometers every day and swims all year round. He once climbed the 5,500-meter-high Mount Siguniang in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, swam in the frozen waters of Kunming Lake in Beijing, participated in national Sanda competitions, slept on ice at -10°C, and has taken part in annual Yangtze River swimming activities, dragon boat races, and rowing events in recent years (all of which were previously covered by our newspaper). Last year, he also registered for Wuhan's first civilian outdoor rescue team, becoming a rescuer for outdoor emergencies in our city. With these physical and technical foundations, he should be qualified to participate in the Tough Guy competition.
By Tang Huaming, with contributions from Wu Peiyong.
Participants in the British Tough Guy competition roll around in mud wearing bizarre costumes. Source: Oriental Satellite TV's "Oriental Noon News." Watch video.