Nation's Winter Paralympics squad is its biggest ever

China announced its largest-ever overseas delegation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games on Friday, comprising 70 athletes and 97 coaches or support staff.

The team will compete in 71 events across six sports — Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard, and wheelchair curling — during the Games scheduled from March 6 to 15.

This year marks China's seventh participation in the Winter Paralympics and sets new records for both the number of events entered and the size of the delegation for an overseas Winter Paralympics, according to the China Disabled Persons' Federation, which organized the delegation.

Among the 70 athletes, who have an average age of 27, 51 are male and 19 are female. They come from nine provincial-level regions, and eight belong to five different ethnic groups.

All are amateurs, representing diverse categories such as workers, students, company employees, and freelancers. Sixty-two of the athletes have previous Paralympic experience, while the remaining eight will make their debut at the Games.

Cheng Kai, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, will lead the delegation, which is expected to depart for Italy early on Saturday.

Their goals include pursuing athletic excellence, showcasing the spirit of sportsmanship, highlighting China's progress in supporting people with disabilities, and encouraging broader participation in sports among disabled individuals.

Guo Yujie, a 21-year-old Para biathlete with a defect in her left hand, carries high hopes into the upcoming Games despite managing worsening pain from a lumbar disc herniation sustained during training.

Guo became China's first female Winter Paralympic champion in an individual event during the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, winning gold in the women's sprint standing biathlon.

"Support staff have provided me with massage therapies, medication, and counseling to help ease my discomfort and stress," she said. "Even though I was sometimes frustrated by physical fatigue and even doubted my capability, I have now recalibrated myself and am ready to push for excellence," she added.

Liu Song, coach of China's Paralympic snowboard team, said that the team's preparation has become more comprehensive and technologically advanced in recent years.

"We are focusing not just on physical and technical aspects, but also on their psychological well-being and recovery," he said. "Moreover, we have used drones to map and analyze the athletes' snowboarding trails, and devices to measure their heart rates and speeds to help precisely pinpoint areas for improvement."

In anticipation of the loose snow conditions in Cortina d'Ampezzo, a co-host town in Italy's northern mountain region, Liu said the team has recently shifted its on-snow training in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, to afternoons rather than the usual morning slots, in order to better simulate the softer terrain they will encounter.

More than 600 athletes from over 52 countries and regions are expected to take part in the 2026 Winter Paralympics.

wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn