Chinese athletes have their eyes on success at the Paris 2024 Paralympian Games.
China’s delegation of 284 athletes, including 95 first-time Paralympians, is set to compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with the team aiming for success.
French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games open on the evening of Aug 28th at Place de la Concorde.
This is the first time that France has hosted the Paralympic Summer Games. It is also the first time that a Paralympics opening ceremony has taken place outside a stadium.
The athletes paraded from the bottom of the Champs-Elysees and made their way around a stage area. During the parade, the mascot of the Games, Phryges, greeted the athletes.
Around 4,400 athletes from a record 168 delegations will participate in the 11-day competition across 22 sports. Three countries, Eritrea, Kiribati, and Kosovo make their Paralympic debuts.
China’s delegation entered with wheelchair fencer Gu Haiyan and weightlifter Qi Yongkai carrying the flag together.
China has sent a delegation of 284 athletes – 126 men and 158 women – to compete across 302 events in 19 sports. Among them, 95 are first-time Paralympians.
The oldest athlete is 48-year-old table tennis player Xiong Guiyan, while swimmer Zhu Hui is the youngest at just 15.
Yu Yutan, a member of China’s visually impaired soccer team, expressed his eagerness to enjoy the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games as he familiarized himself with the stadium near the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Tuesday night.
“We’re fully prepared and eagerly anticipating the competition. Moreover, I’m looking forward to the feeling of stepping onto this beautiful pitch,” he said.
Wei Wei, a member of the Chinese Paralympic swimming team’s support staff, said that the team has been acclimating in Paris for nearly a week. “The team is in solid shape.”
“The athletes are delivering high-quality training sessions and maintaining excellent mental focus,” they added.
On the morning of August 28th, the team completed its final training session before the competition. Determination and preparedness will see China’s 46 swimmers give their best performance according to Wei.
Meanwhile, China’s Paralympic cycling team, a blend of veteran and emerging athletes, is also ready to compete. Coach Li Peng said that each cyclist has individual training plans based on their strengths.
“Our athletes are committed, and our coaches, medical staff and technicians are all working in sync, united in their drive to excel,” Li said.
Written by Yetao Gu, additional reporting by Xinhua and China Daily.
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