He Yuxuan, an eight-year-old visually impaired boy, presses his face against China's national flag with his mother beside him at the opening ceremony of the Asian Para Games last night at the Aoti Main Stadium in Guangzhou in south China. He presented the flag to honor guards and saluted as the flag was raised. About 2,5000 disabled athletes are taking part in the event.
A new chapter opened for the Paralympics movement in Asia when the inaugural Asian Para Games opened its arms to around 2,500 disabled athletes yesterday.
Vice Premier Li Keqiang declared the Games open to the cheers of 60,000 spectators in the Aoti Main Stadium in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.
The caldron was lit by two outstanding Chinese athletes, Zhang Lixin, a male wheelchair sprinter and Zhang Haiyuan, a female jumper. Both athletes had lost a leg. Holding the torch alternately, they climbed up a 40-meter man-made cliff to light the flame together.
The lighting of the flame was the climax of an emotional opening ceremony, which highlighted the power of love and caring for disabled people, as well as their fortitude.
A visually impaired boy, He Yuxuan, was spotlit at the beginning of the ceremony. The eight-year-old carried the national flag in his hands with his mother walking alongside, handing it to the honor guards and saluting as it was raised.
The Chinese delegation has 431 athletes and 183 officials, coaches and working staff, the biggest disabled athletes delegation that China has assembled for an international multi-sport Games. They will compete in all 19 sports, among which badminton and tenpin bowling are non-Paralympic sports.
The competitions of the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games begin today, and the Games run until Saturday.
