Paris Paralympics: Hong Kong leader Lee hails city’s ‘warriors of life’, China still dominant
China tops medal table once again, and in seven-time gold medallist Jiang Yuyan have another teenage swimming star
The curtain came down on the Paris Paralympics on Sunday, bringing an end to an impressive two weeks for Hong Kong’s delegation and a dominant summer of sport for China’s athletes.
Eight medals was the best return for the city since the 2012 London Games, and the three gold the most in a decade.
Success spanned the generations too, with 14-year-old Jasmine Ng Cheuk-yan becoming Hong Kong’s youngest Paralympian and then medal winner, after her bronze in the women’s SB6 100m breaststroke.
At the other end of Paralympic experience, the retiring Daniel Chan Ho-yuen bowed out with silver in the men’s WH2 badminton singles. The 39-year-old, who held the city’s flag at the opening ceremony, carried it out again at the Stade de France, alongside silver medal-winning swimmer Chan Yui-lam.
Dr Leung Lai-yin, head of the Hong Kong delegation, praised the team’s “outstanding performance” in the face of such a “large-scale international event”, adding the belief and approach of the athletes had been an inspiration.
The city’s leader, John Lee Ka-chiu, Lee hailed the “unparalleled resilience and determination” of the 23 athletes who represented the city in Paris.
