The flame was yesterday extinguished on Beijing’s Winter Paralympics after nine days of stellar performances from the host nation and Ukraine athletes reeling from Russia’s invasion.
The Bird’s Nest Stadium hosted the closing ceremony, where China handed the baton to Italy’s Milano-Cortina, which is to stage the 2026 Winter Games.
At the opening ceremony, China Central Television (CCTV) censored International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons’ forceful anti-war speech, and the lead-up to the Games was overshadowed by controversy over whether athletes from Russia and ally Belarus should be able to compete.
Photo: AFP
After an arduous journey to get to the Chinese capital from their invaded homeland, Ukraine’s athletes finished a remarkable second on the medals table, behind hosts China after their best performance at a Winter Paralympics.
One athlete learned her soldier father had been taken prisoner by Russian troops, while another won a gold medal days after discovering her home in Kharkiv had been bombed.
Ukraine finished with a total of 29 medals, with 11 gold medals in biathlon and cross-country skiing.
Ukraine yesterday took their final gold in the open cross-country relay, ahead of France and Norway.
“Today our win is for the Ukrainian people,” relay team member Grygorii Vovchynskyi said.
Parsons had paid a glowing tribute to the Ukraine team on Saturday.
“To compete here at such a high level knowing their family and nation is under attack is just incredible,” he said.
“It’s one of the most incredible displays of resilience I’ve ever seen in my life, in or outside of sport,” he added.
Hosts China emerged as the new Winter Paralympics powerhouse — topping the medals table ahead of Ukraine with 18 golds and 61 medals in all.
China made their debut in 2002, but only recorded their first medal — a gold in wheelchair curling — at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
The speed and scale of success in Beijing has surprised some Chinese athletes.
“We weren’t really aware of our level before these Paralympic Games, because we haven’t been competing abroad much lately,” said Liu Sitong, 27, who won two bronze and one silver medal in women’s sitting alpine skiing races.
The US yesterday beat Canada 5-0 to take the para-ice hockey gold.
“It is pretty heavy on the heart right now,” Canada forward Tyler McGregor said. “You have to take pride in getting here and the process of the last four years.”
The US dominated in the mixed cross-country relay, sharing the podium with China and Canada.
In the Alpine skiing at Yanqing, golden runs continued for Italy’s Giacomo Bertagnolli, 23, in the slalom vision-impaired and for France’s Arthur Bauchet in the standing event, while in the men’s sitting category, Norway’s Jesper Pedersen, 22, claimed his fourth gold of the Paralympic Games to go with a silver.
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