A real games changer

Beijing Winter Paralympics now the benchmark that future hosts will aspire to

Thrilling competitions, smooth organization and superb services all combined to make Beijing 2022 the new benchmark for staging Winter Paralympic Games.

As a bonus for the host, Team China finished top of the Winter Paralympics medal table for the first time, with 18 gold, 20 silver and 23 bronze.

The feat was especially remarkable considering China only won its first Winter Paralympic gold medal－in wheelchair curling－at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

China's steady stream of champions made national headlines and became trending news on social media. Among those to enjoy the limelight was Liu Zixu, who won the host's first gold of the Beijing Winter Paralympics, in para biathlon men's sprint sitting on March 5.

The 24-year-old, who also won bronze in the men's individual sitting, was proud to see his hard work finally pay off.

"I just wanted to show my potential, and focus on the competitions－I didn't think too much. I fell down on the snow countless times, but always returned to training right away. I remember I could barely feel my hands, and my sweat turned to ice on my face in the freezing conditions, but I was determined not to stop," said Liu, who lost a leg in a car accident when he was a teenager.

"Only through hard work and pushing my limits could I reach the top of the podium. I'm satisfied with my performances here, but my career has been bumpy enough. I think it's the setbacks and difficulties that have shaped me the most. In future, I will keep pushing myself."

While Team China retained its wheelchair curling title in Beijing, the host nation made numerous breakthroughs in other sports, most notably in para Alpine skiing.

One of the brightest stars at the National Alpine Skiing Center in Yanqing was Zhang Mengqiu, who won China's first gold medal in the sport with victory in the women's super-G standing on March 6.