I spent the morning with the Chinese Paralympic team, which has emerged as a new sporting powerhouse during these Games.
China will finish the Paralympics at the top of the medal table. Their dominance has taken some by surprise, especially since 80% of their 200 athletes are competing in their first Paralympics.
As China prepares for the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, it seems the main question will be who'll come second to the hosts in four years time.
Everyone you speak to here in Athens has a different explanation for China's success -- rigorous discipline, huge resources or just plain hard work.
The fact that there are 60 million disabled people in China -- more than the population of Britain -- helps too.
Bear in mind that China only competed in 11 out of 19 Paralympic sports here in Athens and it's clear that the country's success story is only just beginning.
China will finish the Paralympics at the top of the medal table. Their dominance has taken some by surprise, especially since 80% of their 200 athletes are competing in their first Paralympics.
As China prepares for the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, it seems the main question will be who'll come second to the hosts in four years time.
Everyone you speak to here in Athens has a different explanation for China's success -- rigorous discipline, huge resources or just plain hard work.
The fact that there are 60 million disabled people in China -- more than the population of Britain -- helps too.
Bear in mind that China only competed in 11 out of 19 Paralympic sports here in Athens and it's clear that the country's success story is only just beginning.
posted by Stuart at 19:29
3 Comments:
"there are 60 million disabled people in China -- more than the population of Britain"
Mr. Blogger, the number of "60 million disabled people in China" seems quite high. Would you explain why they are so many of them? Given that China has not had civil wars for a long time, what are they disabled from?
er.... and how many of the UK's disabled population do you think got their disabilities through violence or disaster?
I would suspect that the figure is maybe higher because of healthcare/vaccination type difficulties, like for instance I believe China was a country where polio was still about until quite recently.
Oh :-)
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