Sports
16:19, 17-Mar-2018
China wins first Winter Paralympic gold medal in wheelchair curling
["china"]
Share
Copied
Chinese athletes won the wheelchair curling final on Saturday at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games in South Korea, claiming the first gold medal for Team China at this year’s Games.
They beat Norway, who defeated the host team in the semi-final on Friday. In another intense game, Wang Haitao’s last shot managed to thread through a sea of stones and helped China to a 4-3 victory against defending champions Canada that secured the country’s first-ever medal at the event.
Team China marched boldly forward on Saturday's game and made history in the wheelchair curling by defeating the world champions Norway 6-5 in the final.
Chinese athletes during the wheelchair curling final at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games in South Korea, on March 17, 2018. /VCG Photo
Chinese athletes during the wheelchair curling final at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games in South Korea, on March 17, 2018. /VCG Photo
A total of five Chinese curlers competed in the game, with Wang Haitao as the team captain. China's wheelchair curling team finished fourth at the Sochi Winter Paralympics in 2004. Wang guided China to their first finals appearance at the World Championships in 2015, where they lost to Russia for the gold medal.
China's Wei Liu (L) and Meng Wang celebrate their victory in the wheelchair curling game between the China and Norway at the Gangneung Curling Center during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games on March 17, 2018. /VCG Photo
China's Wei Liu (L) and Meng Wang celebrate their victory in the wheelchair curling game between the China and Norway at the Gangneung Curling Center during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games on March 17, 2018. /VCG Photo
China sent a delegation of 26 athletes to the PyeongChang Winter Paralympics, the most the country has ever sent to a Winter Paralympics. Chinese athletes competed in five sports, including wheelchair curling, and alpine and cross-country skiing. China also had participants in snowboarding and biathlon events for the first time.
The PyeongChang Winter Games began on March 9 and will conclude this Sunday.
The next Winter Paralympics is scheduled to take place in Beijing in 2022. Beijing will become the first city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Gold medallists Wang Haitao of China and his teammates Chen Jianxin, Liu Wei, Wang Meng and Zhang Qiang (L-R) celebrate on the podium during the victory ceremony. /VCG Photo
Gold medallists Wang Haitao of China and his teammates Chen Jianxin, Liu Wei, Wang Meng and Zhang Qiang (L-R) celebrate on the podium during the victory ceremony. /VCG Photo