Breaking down barriers

"While athletes are on the field competing at their best, we will take good care of their 'partners' in this grassy area to give them more peace of mind," He said.

A wheelchair repair station has also been set up on the lawns of Hangzhou Wenhui School, equipped with professional maintenance personnel and volunteers, to provide free maintenance services for assistive devices from Oct 14 to 28.

"For athletes with physical disabilities, assistive devices such as wheelchairs, prostheses and orthotics are indispensable. They are as important as medical care," said one of the venue's staff members. "We have a professional assistive device maintenance team behind us so that athletes don't have to worry."

LIN SHUJUAN in Hangzhou