As at the opening, it is the Olympic stadium of the Chinese capital, the emblematic Bird nest
which hosted a ceremony concocted by the famous director Zhang Yimou.
The alpine paraskier Mollie Jepsen carried the Canadian flag. The 22-year-old British Columbian won two medals in Beijing, gold in downhill and silver in giant slalom.
Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), described the participating athletes as glimmer of hope
and of champions of peace
without specifically mentioning the situation in Ukraine, during his speech on Sunday.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. Parsons spoke an anti-war speech that had been partially censored during its broadcast by Chinese state television CCTV.
Again, part of his speech during the closing ceremony was not translated into Chinese for local audiences. The expressions champions of peace
and hopes for peace
have been omitted.
At the end of this ceremony, attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Paralympic flag was lowered and passed on to the organizers of the next winter edition of the Games, which will take place in 2026 in Milan and in the ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites.
In the Paralympic villages, there were different nations, different opinions, different abilities. Here, the differences did not divide us. They united us
Parsons said.
This unity is a source of hope. Hopes for inclusion, hopes for harmony and most importantly, hopes for peace
he added.
The days leading up to the start of these Games, which opened on Friday March 4, were marked by intense debates over the participation of Russia and its Belarusian ally after the invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24.
After authorizing the athletes concerned to compete under a neutral bannerthe International Paralympic Committee (IPC) reversed its decision the next day, citing opposition from many National Paralympic Committeesboycott threats and tensions in the athletes’ village.
Paralympic flame goes out in Beijing
Photo : Getty Images / Ryan Pierse
A demonstration of resilience
All this turmoil did not disturb the sports performance of Ukrainians. Arrived in extremis in Beijing after a daunting journey by bus through Europe, they went after themselves.
Ukraine won a total of 29 medals, including 11 gold, in biathlon and cross-country skiing.
During the Games, a Ukrainian athlete learned that his father, a soldier, had been taken prisoner by the Russians. Another won a gold medal days after discovering that her home in Kharkiv had been bombed.
To compete here at such a high level, knowing that your family and your country are under attack, is just amazing.
CIP President Andrew Parsons said on Saturday.
sport et en dehors.","text":"C'est l'une des plus incroyables démonstrations de résilience que j'ai pu voir dans ma vie. Dans le sport et en dehors."}}">It’s one of the most incredible displays of resilience I’ve seen in my life. In and out of sport.
Members of the Ukrainian delegation in Beijing issued a message for peace.
Photo : Getty Images / Alex Davidson
A new power
For its part, China took advantage of these Games to assert itself as a new power in para-winter sports. With 61 medals in total, including 18 gold, she is 1st in the standings ahead of Ukraine (29) and Canada (25).
Committed to the Winter Paralympics from Salt Lake City in 2002, the Asian giant only won his first medal in Pyeongchang in 2018, with gold in wheelchair curling. His success in Beijing amazes even his own athletes.
We weren’t really aware of our level (…) because we haven’t taken part in many competitions abroad lately [en raison de la COVID-19]
said Liu Sitong, winner of four medals in alpine skiing.
Very few positive coronavirus cases have been identified in Beijing’s health bubble, already in place for the Olympics, which isolated athletes, officials and staff from the rest of the Chinese population.