The opening ceremony for the Hangzhou Asian Para Games is taking place and earlier our reporter Zhang Siran has shared with us some of the highlights from Hangzhou.
ZHANG SIRAN, Hangzhou "I'm currently at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, waiting for the opening ceremony for the fourth Asian Para Games. The atmosphere here is brimming with anticipation and excitement.
Over the next six days, some 3-thousand paralympic athletes will compete across 22 sports. Two contests to look out for this year, para taekwondo and para canoeing, both making their debut right here in Hangzhou.
Nearly twenty venues will host the events. Seventeen were used during the Asian Games. Changes have been made to the buildings to make them more accessible, with both sides of the audience stands now equipped with lifts. Barrier-free facilities have been installed in shower rooms, changing rooms and washrooms, ensuring the comfort and convenience of all attendees. There are also designated rest areas for guide dogs outside the venue, to cater to the athletes' needs.
Team China is entering the Games as the largest team, boasting over 4-hundred athletes. The delegation has doubled in size compared to the previous Games, in 2018. It's also considered to have lots of potential, especially after their impressive performance in topping the medals table at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Stay tuned for more updates from the Games. Back to you."
