A press conference for the 12th National Paralympic Games and 9th National Special Olympic Games (hereinafter referred to as the “Paralympic and Special Olympic Games”) was held today (8th) at the Guangzhou Main Press Center, to brief the public on the preparation progress of the Games across Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Yong Zhijun, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the Games Organizing Committee; Chen Xuejun, Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of the Guangdong Division; Yang Deqiang, Director of the Coordination Office of the Hong Kong Division; and Pan Yongquan, Director of the Preparation Office of the Macao Division attended the conference.
Yong Zhijun stated that the Games feature a total of 46 sports and 1,876 events, including 11 sports and 131 events for mass participation, 9 sports and 599 events for Special Olympics, and 26 sports and 1,146 events for Paralympic and Deaflympic competitions after strict classification. A total of 7,824 athletes from 34 delegations across the country have registered to participate, with the overall scale exceeding 11,000 people, an increase of approximately 30% compared with the previous edition.
Chen Xuejun noted that the Guangdong Division has 36 competition venues, among which 22 are shared with the 15th National Games and 14 are dedicated to the Paralympic and Special Olympic Games, maximizing the efficient utilization of existing venue resources. All venues fully meet national barrier-free construction standards to satisfy the personalized needs of disabled athletes of different categories.
Yang Deqiang introduced that Hong Kong will host four competition events, namely boccia and wheelchair fencing (Paralympic events), table tennis (TT11 category, Paralympic event), and table tennis (Special Olympic event). To ensure the smooth running of the Games, the Hong Kong Division has mobilized over 4,000 volunteers to provide assistance in various positions during the event, supporting athletes with different needs.
Pan Yongquan said that two badminton events of the Paralympic Games and Special Olympic Games will kick off tomorrow (9th) at the Macao East Asian Games Dome and Macao Forum respectively. A total of 28 sports delegations, with more than 500 participants including team leaders, coaches, athletes and technical officials, have arrived in Macao. In terms of volunteers, 1,500 volunteers in the Macao Division are assigned to various service positions, such as event support, venue logistics and venue guidance, providing strong logistical guarantee for the Games through services and reception work.
