Asian Para Games end amid wide acclaim, bring lasting impact for host city

Groups of athletes enter Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Zhejiang province on Oct 28 during the closing ceremony of the 4th Asian Para Games. (GAO ERQIANG / CHINA DAILY)

Thrilling action, excellent arrangements, and touching stories of athletes made the just concluded 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, a “superb” edition in the history of the Games, officials said, adding that its lasting legacy will benefit the host city and growth of Chinese para sports.

“I want to thank everyone for making the Games so superb. Athletes, volunteers, the local organizers, and the media, thank you very much. Hangzhou is raising the bar for every single major event organizer in the world,” said Tarek Souei, CEO of the Asian Paralympic Committee, at a media conference ahead of the Games’ closing ceremony on Oct 28.

Souei said he was not only amazed by the high standards on display at the event but was also impressed by the improvement in the overall living conditions of people with disabilities with the help of para sports in China.

“I still remember the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. And 15 years later, in Hangzhou, I saw the torchbearer using a high-tech prosthetic arm to hold the flame and light the cauldron,” he said.

There has been a lot of transformation in the lives of people with disabilities in China. Such people in China and the rest of Asia are living better lives thanks to para sports, which spread a strong message of inclusiveness, equality, and opportunity for persons with disabilities, he added.

The Hangzhou Asian Para Games attracted over 3,000 athletes from 44 countries and regions, who competed in 501 events across 22 sports. More than 1,550 technical officials and 3,090 media personnel were involved, making it the largest edition in the history of the Asian Para Games.

A total of 21 world records, 72 Asian records, and 283 Asian Para Games records were set at the Hangzhou event.

It was not easy to organize such a massive event that went off smoothly without compromising on quality, said Chen Weiqiang, chief spokesperson for the Hangzhou Asian Para Games. He said the goal was to ensure the Asian Games and Asian Para Games were “equally brilliant”.

“We have fulfilled our promise of making the Games streamlined, safe, and splendid. It’s fair to say that we have staged the most successful Asian Para Games in history and we have showed the warmth and love of the host city of Hangzhou,” Chen said during the Oct 28 media conference.

“To ensure the para athletes enjoyed the best environment, for the past three years we have been working on upgrading and building barrier-free facilities across the host city, including at the airport, shopping malls, and Games Village. Through the 4th Asian Para Games, the barrier-free environment in Hangzhou has reached a new level,” Chen said.

The organizers will ensure the sustainable use of all the venues after the conclusion of the Games, and will keep pushing for the upgrade and building of para sports facilities, so that more people with disabilities start to embrace and enjoy sports, Chen added.

The preparation and hosting of the 4th Asian Para Games has already had a lasting impact on Hangzhou and wider Zhejiang, according to the organizing committee and relevant organizations dedicated to the well-being of people with impairments.

“The Hangzhou Asian Para Games have played a huge role not only in promoting the development of sports for people with disabilities but also the progress of social civilization when their rights of equal access to health, fitness, and a social life, among others, are further guaranteed,” said Lyu Lin, deputy secretary general of the Asian Para Games Hangzhou Organizing Committee.

Lyu, also chairman of Zhejiang Provincial Disabled Persons’ Federation, said that, since Zhejiang started to prepare for the Games in 2018, the province has seized the opportunity to vigorously develop sports for people with disabilities, coordinate preparations and organize various tasks to improve their access to numerous facilities and development opportunities.

“We have achieved new breakthroughs in the development of sports for people with disabilities, with Zhejiang ranking top in the number of medals achieved in various para sports competitions,” Lyu said, adding that half of the 69 para athletes representing the province’s 3.12 million people with disabilities were seen as having the chance to win a medal at the Para Games.

At the same time, Zhejiang has also explored measures to improve the accessibility of its social environment, the level of public services, and the capacity to prosper in life and work for people with disabilities, Lyu said.

As the host city, Hangzhou has benefited the most from preparing and hosting the Asian Para Games, according to Yang Yingying, chairperson of Hangzhou Municipal Disabled Persons’ Federation.

“In our preparations for the Asian Para Games, we’ve been dedicated to improving the urban barrier-free environment, doing our best to make it possible for people with disabilities to go anywhere they want,” Yang said.

People with disabilities were invited to experience the competition venues for the Games and other major support facilities across the city and provide their feedback for further improvements, according to Yang.

The Games were seen as a “touching and inspiring” event because of the performances of the competitors and the excellent services provided by staff members and volunteers, said Chen, the Hangzhou Asian Para Games chief spokesperson, at a recent news briefing.

“Hangzhou spent five years preparing for the games and made thorough plans for transportation, accommodation, and medical services for competitors and their escorts,” he said.

As of Oct 27, the city had offered arrival and departure services to 7,624 people involved in the games, while the number of people who used the athletes’ village peaked at 5,002 on Oct 23, the first competitive day.

According to the organizers, the village offered about 1,100 barrier-free beds and had dedicated dining areas for wheelchair users. Barrier-free services, such as wheelchair-charging poles and maintenance for assistive devices, were also available.

At the Games, Team China put up a fantastic performance to top the medal table. It won 521 medals, including 214 gold medals. Team China athletes also broke 12 world records and 36 Asian records.

“I am very excited to have participated in the Asian Paralympic Games in my hometown, and my family and friends came to cheer for me. I won five gold medals. I would like to thank all the people who helped me, thank you all, thank you Hangzhou,” said Team China swimmer Xu Haijiao.

Xu pointed out that he had won two silver medals in two earlier Paralympic Games, and that he is looking forward to being on top of the podium in Paris next year.

Contact the writers at shifutian@chinadaily.com.cn