Inspired by Mao, Wuhan river swimmers 'reborn' after virus lockdown

The riverbank is usually alive with people singing, dancing, flying kites, fishing or simply enjoying a romantic walk but all that stopped when the coronavirus emerged in Wuhan about a year ago and the city was placed into a strict lockdown that dragged on for 76 days. Photo AFP

Standing beside a large picture of Mao Zedong, Shen Peihua recalls the moment she resumed her daily swim in the Yangtze River in Wuhan after the Chinese city's long coronavirus lockdown.

"I felt so happy, it was like being reborn," the 68-year-old said.