When Wenley first learned about Special Olympics, it wasn’t through a school program or family outreach, but rather through a simple social media post. Something in the letter caught his attention. Out of curiosity, he reached out to WeiJhen, his teacher at Kaohsiung Municipality’s Sanmin Vocational High School of Home Economics and Commerce, to learn more about the movement and the sports it offered. What started as a question quickly became an invitation.
First, Wenley joined the competition. He found a sport that inspired him, that made him feel strong and capable. But what he discovered along the way was something much more powerful: connection.
Wenley describes himself as “sometimes introverted, sometimes extroverted,” and someone who used to hesitate before speaking or meeting new people. Through sports, he began to find his voice. Competition helped him get out of his comfort zone. Interacting with his teammates and volunteers helped him practice communication and confidence, skills he later realized were essential not only on the field, but in life as well.
His transformation did not stop at athletics. Winley was quickly drawn to leadership, participating in youth summits, sports leadership training, and regional events. These experiences opened his world. He began meeting athletes from other programs, learning new ideas and best practices, and seeing how the spirit of inclusion can shape communities everywhere.
“Special Olympics isn’t just about sports. It’s about personal growth, passion, and pushing your limits to do better.”
Now athlete’s leader Special Olympics Chinese TaipeiWenli takes every opportunity to inspire others. One of his proudest accomplishments is launching a project focused on empowering female athletes. The project works to create leadership opportunities, support their health and wellbeing, and break down gender stereotypes in sport.
In his community, he challenges long-held beliefs about what men and women can do. Wenley has worked to increase female participation in mixed sports and, just as importantly, to encourage more men to try traditionally female-dominated sports such as table tennis and badminton.
“We can’t maintain those old ideas that only boys play certain sports or only girls do certain things. Inclusion means that everyone has the opportunity to try, learn and lead.”
With limited resources, Wenli and WeiJhen started their project from scratch. However, its influence is growing. They have already trained several female athletes to take on leadership roles, including one who now works as a social worker in a nursing home, and someone who uses her patience and care to support the health and dignity of older women.
For Wenley, these stories are proof that inclusion creates ripple effects. When athletes lead, they not only gain confidence, but they also lift others up with them.
He dreams of expanding this work even further, reaching children from kindergarten through college, and inspiring families to participate in building a culture of equality and compassion.
There is an old Chinese saying Wenli likes to share: “There is always one challenge to overcome, one by one.” He smiles when he says it, acknowledging that translation can’t capture its full beauty. But in his journey, from shy athlete to outspoken leader, Winley embodies that meaning every day.
He continues to push barriers, not only for himself, but for a generation of athletes who will see that leadership and courage know no bounds, on and off the field.
