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HONG KONG, Nov. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

This month on 'Super Hero', CNN profiles five athletes from across the globe

who are set to compete at the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics. The brand new

30-minute program hosted by CNN anchor and correspondent Christina

Macfarlane [https://edition.cnn.com/profiles/christina-macfarlane ] showcases

their willpower, strength and ambition to compete against all odds at the very highest levels.

CNN first speaks with two-time Paralympic swimmer Mallory Weggemann, who shares

her journey to the podium after an epidural injection in 2008 left her paralyzed. Just three

months later, she was back in the pool, going on to win gold and bronze medals at

the London 2012 Paralympics. When pools were closed this year, due to the pandemic,

Weggemann found alternative ways to train on dry land.  

Monika Seryu's life changed forever when she fell in a high school gym class

and was left paralyzed below the chest. She took up para-canoeing --

encouraged, in part, by a homeless man she befriended at the river. Now aged 23

and with the Paralympics just around the corner, the Tokyo native says she is

looking forward to competing in her hometown.

Born without legs and missing fingers on his hands, Ryley Batt admits he wasn't

a fan of wheelchairs growing up – that is, until a fateful encounter with a

wheelchair rugby demonstration set him on the path to mastering the sport. Now,

the four-time Paralympian has two gold medals under his belt -- and he's been

named co-captain of the Australia team at the Tokyo Paralympics.

Rugby isn't the only sport played in a wheelchair -- there's also boccia, a

ball sport that requires exceptional strategy and precision. CNN hears from

Hong Kong-based Yuen-kei Ho, one of the world's top ranked boccia players. Born

with spinal muscular atrophy, she made her Paralympic debut in Rio in 2016, and

has her sights set on becoming number one in Tokyo next year.

Finally, CNN meets Mpumelelo Mhlongo, a South African runner and long-jumper.

Mhlongo has amniotic band syndrome, a rare condition which caused complications

in the development of his limbs. Beyond his efforts on the track, Mhlongo is

also a PHD student in chemical engineering and co-founder of a healthcare

start-up, designed to improve medical resources in South Africa.

Super Hero trailer: https://bit.ly/3kTZy40

Super Hero images: https://bit.ly/2UB1VO8

Airtimes for 30-minute special:

Saturday, November 28 at 7:00pm HKT

Sunday, November 29 at 10:00am and 2:00pm HKT

About CNN International

CNN's portfolio of news and information services is available in seven

different languages across all major TV, digital and mobile platforms, reaching

more than 475 million households around the globe. CNN International is the

number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys

across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region, and Latin

America and has a US presence that includes CNNgo. CNN Digital is a leading

network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN is at the forefront

of digital innovation and continues to invest heavily in expanding its digital

global footprint, with a suite of award-winning digital properties and a range

of strategic content partnerships, commercialised through a strong data-driven

understanding of audience behaviours. CNN has won multiple prestigious awards

around the world for its journalism. Around 1,000 hours of long-form series,

documentaries and specials are produced every year by CNNI's non-news

programming division. CNN has 36 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates

worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is a WarnerMedia company.

SOURCE: CNN International

Image Attachments Links:

   Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=378132

   Caption: CNN's 'Super Hero' meets the inspiring athletes set to compete at the Tokyo Paralympics