Kristina’s Postcard from Beijing

Sep 15, 2008

I arrived in Beijing only a few days ago, and have been so impressed by how the Paralympic Games have taken over the city. From banners covering the skyscrapers, to billboard advertisements, and even the videos playing on the subway, Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games images are everywhere. And it’s impossible to miss the athletes in action — live Paralympic Games coverage is being broadcast on video boards across the city.

With 20 sports and 472 events, there is much to see and more venues than I could possibly visit. My highlights so far have included cheering on the Canadian athletes as they excel in the pool and on the track, watching rowing make its Paralympic Games debut, and experiencing sports I haven't seen before like goalball, a sport in which visually impaired athletes rely on hearing a small bell inside of a ball in order to make a save.

There is definitely no shortage of volunteers here, with someone, or in many cases, multiple people, assigned to every task. I especially enjoyed the exuberant volunteers in the stands at goalball, trying tirelessly to teach local spectators how to do the wave. The crowd was definitely excited, but without quite grasping the concept of the Mexican wave, it was a great surprise when the beckoning of raised arms made its way around the stadium.

There really is nothing like the thunder in the stadium when 90,000 spectators cheer for a Chinese gold medallist, or witnessing one of those amazing sport moments — such as when a gold medallist in athletics took off her gold medal and hung it around the neck of her guide. It makes me excited to think about what the experience will be like for Canadians in 2010 when it will be our turn to sing our anthem and be inspired by the performances of the Paralympic athletes.

Kristina Molloy, Paralympic Games manager for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), is in Beijing this week as part of an Olympic Games observer program.