Winter Paralympics: stunning success makes China a Games powerhouse, tops medal table after cash injection, Russia ban
- Hosts finish with 18 golds and 61 medals in all, just four years after winning their first gold in wheelchair curling
- Significant amount of General Administration of Sports’ US$1 billion budget was ploughed into winter sports
China have emerged as a new Winter Paralympics powerhouse at their own Beijing Games, topping the medals table in a stunning success backed by huge investment and aided by the absence of Russian athletes.
The hosts finished proudly top of the table on Sunday with 18 golds and 61 medals in all – a remarkable rise given that they only made their Winter Paralympics debut in 2002 and it was not until Pyeongchang, four years ago, that they won their first medal, a gold in wheelchair curling.
“The Games have given people with impairments a lot of confidence,” gold medal cross-country skier Mao Zhongwu said.
China’s Paralympics success story, say long-time Games observers, is one of money, foreign coaches, the absence of Russian athletes, hard work and, perhaps, home country advantage.
Recruiting talent such as Russian para-ice hockey coach Nikolay Sharshukov and Italian alpine ski coach Dario Capelli helped generate medal contenders.
Capelli said he had to go back to basics to turn a squad of beginners into champions.
“For these athletes, every day for 11 months, it was: ski training, ski training … I don’t know which other country can do this,” he said.
