251 from Team China to compete in Paralympics

China has unveiled a delegation of 437 athletes, coaches and support staff to the Tokyo Paralympic Games, which is set to open on Tuesday amid an uptick in COVID-19 infections in Japan.

The delegation — the 10th that China has sent to summer Paralympics since 1984 — has been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation said in a statement.

The federation has stepped up medical support for delegation members and made emergency plans. Protective materials have also been put in place to ensure athletes compete safely, it said.

Japan’s new infections reached around 20,000 on Tuesday, with many counties reporting a record number of new cases.

The delegation will be headed by Zhang Haidi, chairwoman of the federation. The 251 athletes — including 132 women — have an average age of 27.5 and are from eight of China’s 56 ethnic groups.

Table tennis player Zhao Ping is the oldest athlete at 56, and the youngest is 16-year-old swimmer Jiang Yuyan, the federation said.

They are all amateurs from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from factory workers and college students to farmers.

The delegates will depart for Tokyo in four groups starting Thursday, and will be competing in 20 sports, including archery, athletics, wheelchair basketball and canoeing, largely without the support of spectators due to infection concerns.

They will also be competing in badminton and taekwondo — sports included for the first time at the Tokyo Games, the federation added.

The delegation’s aims and priorities are to ensure the safety of athletes, show sportsmanship and the Chinese disabled community’s spirit, and achieve better results, it said, adding all members have received training to minimize infection risks.

The delegation is also being encouraged to reach out to its foreign counterparts with friendship and invitations to the Beijing Winter Paralympics to be held in March.

While addressing the delegation on Tuesday in Beijing, Zhang asked the athletes to learn from Chinese athletes at the Tokyo Olympics, who won 38 gold medals.

She wished them success in their competitions and also in showing their “cultural and ethical civilization” in the shadow of a pandemic.

Zhang, also chairwoman of the National Paralympic Committee of China, said the Games will be a showcase of humanity’s unity and defiance of difficulties. The athletes’ optimism and positivity would be an inspiration for disabled people worldwide.

Du Zhaocai, deputy head of the General Administration of Sport of China, asked the athletes to embrace challenges and continue the country’s glories in past Paralympics.

China made its debut at the Stoke Mandeville & New York 1984 Paralympic Games, when it won 23 medals, including two golds.

The country topped the Summer Paralympics ranking for the first time in 2004 with 63 golds, and has remained in top position at all the Games since.

Zhang Junjie, who oversees sports affairs at the federation, said safe participation is the baseline requirement in this special Paralympics.

He said that the postponement of the Tokyo Games had posed a huge challenge to amateur athletes because training cycles are crucial. The spectator-free environment will add another layer of challenge.

“I hope they strive for better results and the glory of their motherland, and show the confidence and goodwill of the disabled community in China,” he said.

More than 4,400 athletes from about 160 countries and regions will compete in 22 sports at the Tokyo Paralympics, which will conclude on Sept 5.