Source: CCTV.com
05-16-2008 09:29
Special Report: 2008 Beijing Olympic GamesLike for the Olympics, preparations for the Beijing Paralympics have been progressing smoothly in China.About 4,000 athletes from more than 150 countries will participate in the event in Beijing from September the 6th to the 17th this year.And like their able bodied counterparts, the Chinese paralympians are determined to make a big impression on the medal table.
Hundreds of Chinese Paralympics athletes are training in Beijing at one of the worlds largest training camps for people with a disability.
China has participated and competed in 6 Paralympic World Summer Games and 2 Paralympic world winter games since 1982.
During the Athens Paralympic Games, Chinese athletes gathered a total of 63 gold medals and 141 medals, making them the leading nation in terms of both the total number of gold medals and the total number of medals received.
This year, Chinese athletes will compete in all 20 sports on the Paralympics programme, hoping to repeat or even surpass their success in 2004.
Veteran Chinese Paralympian Wang Jun competed in both Sydney and Athens and is certainly looking forward to doing so again on home soil.
Wang Jun, 100-meter racer and long jumoer, said, "I was born in Beijing, so it seems the Paralympics of this year are being held at my home. I am very happy and excited. I am looking forward to the opening of the Paralympics everyday now. "
Competition at the paralympics promises as usual to be no less fierce than at the able bodied Olympics and with the help of the home support a healthy crop of medals seems likely for the China team.
Editor:Zhao Yan
