Games on course to be joyous celebration

With the one-year countdown to the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics underway, the organizing committee's executive president, Zhang Haidi, expects the world's finest Para athletes to deliver an inspirational sporting spectacle.

"Beijing is the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. I hope people can make friends here and leave with smiles on their faces. We are confident of staging Beijing 2022 as scheduled," said Zhang, also president of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, in a recent interview.

"Over the past few years, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) has conducted close cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and Paralympic Committees of all countries and regions to synchronize the preparation work for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"All competition venues of Beijing 2022 have been completed. Competition organization and services including transportation, medical treatment, catering and accommodation, have been implemented in an orderly manner," she added.

"Overcoming difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we proactively carried out the testing program. We unveiled the emblem, mascot, soundtracks and introductory films of the Winter Paralympic Games. We also solicited slogans and hosted various activities to promote Paralympic sports. We advanced the construction of accessible environments in the host city with an aim of leaving sustainable legacies."

According to Zhang, the Games' marketing program has progressed well, thanks to smooth international exchanges.

Despite the pandemic, the BOCOG held important conferences via video link and offered services and reassurances to Paralympic Committees and athletes from all over the world.

As for the remaining preparation work over the next year, Zhang said that a "green, inclusive, open and clean" approach should be adhered to throughout the process to deliver a "fantastic, extraordinary and excellent" Games in 2022.

Centered around the guiding principles of "simplicity, safety and excellence", Zhang listed some key tasks for the next stage of preparations. They include construction and management of an accessible environment in venues of the host city, epidemic prevention and control, strengthening operational requirements of the Games, enhancing Winter Paralympic promotional and cultural activities and international exchanges, encouraging more persons with disabilities to participate in mass winter sports activities, as well as the athletes' training.

In Zhang's opinion, the Paralympic Winter Games will serve as a catalyst for developing China's commitments and undertakings for persons with disabilities.

"Paralympic sports in China have made great strides in recent years. The number of winter Para athletes has risen from an initial total of 50 to currently stand at over 1,000. Persons with disabilities enjoy more advanced training facilities now," she said.

For Zhang, winter Paralympic sports in China started at a low point, but since the nation won the right to host for the 2022 Winter Olympics, the world's most populous country has witnessed the number of Para sports it participates in rise from two to six.

Moreover, Chinese Para athletes have taken part in 59 international winter sports competitions and won 38 gold medals since 2016, highlighted by the country's first-ever Winter Paralympic gold－in wheelchair curling－at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

"Our national teams didn't slacken up their preparations despite the pandemic, targeting good results at Beijing 2022," Zhang concluded. "Dear Para athletes, dear friends, see you in Beijing in 2022."

Xinhua