HANGZHOU—Asia’s biggest sporting spectacle for persons with disabilities opens Sunday to a splendid display of tech-inspired colors at the Hangzhou Olympic Stadium in this home of silk and tea capital city of China’s Zhejiang province.
Director Sha Xiaolan said the opening ceremonies will have a floral theme based on the Osmanthus plant that is endemic to Hangzhou’s Zhejiang province. It was said to have been cultivated for centuries and offered as aromatic delights to ancient gods.
“With a flower theme, we welcome athletes to convey the significance of pursuing dreams and the spirit of integration of abled and disabled people,” said Sha.
During the opening, abled and disabled kids will sing together accompanied by sign language, and dancers, some on wheelchairs, will perform amid the futuristic sound and spectacle of lights showcasing “how technology will ease the life of persons with disabilities.”
Feifei, the Games mascot, will lead the torch lighting using digital technology.
Li Yiqing, chief of opening ceremonies, said they hope to show Osmanthus’s motherly love which represents how a mother takes care of and nurtures her child with a disability.
Overall, the 4th Hangzhou Asian Para Games slogan “Hearts meet, Dreams shine” is all about friendship among people with disabilities in Asia and the empowerment to chase their dreams.
TEAM PHILIPPINES
The Philippines is represented in the Games by 72 athletes, accompanied by 57 coaches and officials led by Team Philippines chef de mission Ral Rosario.
“So far so good. All our concerns were taken care of here. We have been waiting for this (Games) so we are ready,” said Rosario during the welcome ceremonies on Friday.
Rosario arrived with delegates from archery, judo, powerlifting, and table tennis, with national para swimmer Ernie Gawilan, a triple gold medalist in the 2018 3rd Jakarta Para Games and veteran powerlifter Adeline Dumapong among them.
The latest to arrive on Monday night from Jakarta, Indonesia was chess player Jasper Rom, who won a gold each as the PH chessers swept the men’s team standard and rapid events five years ago in the Indonesian capital.
A former national swimming standout, Rosario said that except for the cool weather in the evening as autumn sets in “all our athletes are adjusting quite well and settling in as they gear for their respective events” in the trip supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo said the objective is to equal, if not surpass, the country’s performance five years ago in Jakarta where the Philippines, with 57 athletes competing in 10 sports, brought home 10 gold, eight silver, and 11 bronze medals while winding up 11th in the overall standings.
The Hangzhou Para Asiad also serves as qualifying meets for athletics, swimming, powerlifting and archery for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
LOGO AND MASCOT
According to the official organizers, the Para Games logo is a “wheelchaired athlete striving forward. A running track, formed by 10 semi-arc lines with a gradient ramp from purple to red and then yellow, stretches out into the distance, as with the surging Qiantang River tides.”
“The athlete dashing forward in the wheelchair exudes dynamics, energy, and passion. The motif resembles the flashing spoondrift of the Qiantang River tides, a fitting statement of the sublime heroism of the para-athletes persevering and challenging themselves. Beneath is the lettering denoting the host city and the year. The visuals and style of the Asian Para Games Emblem are in line with those of the Asian Games Emblem.”
The mascot for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games is Feifei the bird which was inspired by the “divine bird” which represents both Hangzhou’s heritage and technological innovation.
Feifei’s wings that extend to her cheeks are based on Liangzhu’s culture with the raised wings representing “dynamic beauty”.
SMOOTH TRANSITION
Organizers have executed a smooth transitional operation for the Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
Within three weeks after the Hangzhou Asian Games, the city capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province has successfully made a smooth transition of facilities and logistics suitable for persons with disabilities.
The Asian Par Games will have 19 competition venues for 22 sports, 17 of which were venues used in the just concluded Asian Games.
Other para sports like powerlifting will use the facilities for weightlifting in the previous games and other facilities like passageways, stands and athletes’ lounges were constructed to ease the movement of persons with disabilities.
The Athletes Village for the Para Games was the Media Village of the Hangzhou Asian Games which has 3,466 rooms for the delegation with over 30 shuttle buses moving round-the-clock to transport athletes and officials to the sporting venues.
The Hangzhou Asian Para Games will run until Oct. 28.