Indomitable Spirit: Chinese double amputee tries to climb Mount Everest after four attempts

69-year-old double amputee Xia Boyu is preparing to climb Mount Everest for the fifth time.

A Chinese national, Xia was a soccer player before he joined the Chinese Mountaineering Team in 1974. During a mission after a year, he lost both his legs to frostbite. But he never gave up on his passion for pushing his physical limits. 

According to Chinese media outlets, Xia has participated in the country's National Games for the Disabled four time. He won medals in javelin throwing, shot put, wheelchair basketball and table tennis. 

The heavy training denied healing time for his wounded legs which led to lymph cancer in 1996. But Xia recovered and later on won two titles in the paralyzed group at the IFSC Climbing World Championships Arco 2011 in Italy. 

Xia had to abandon his last effort in 2016 when he was just 94 meters away from the peak. 

But making his intentions clear Xia said, “The disabled can also climb a mountain and conquer new heights.”