10 Ningbo athletes to compete at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games

Ten athletes from Ningbo, Zhejiang province, will represent China at the 5th Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from Oct 18 to 24.

The Chinese delegation was officially formed in Beijing on Oct 10, with 10 Ningbo athletes selected across four sports: swimming, sitting volleyball, goalball, and archery.

The team features both seasoned champions and promising newcomers. Among the veterans, swimmer Xu Jialing won gold in the women's S9 100-meter butterfly at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and two bronze medals. She has also claimed multiple golds at the Asian Para Games in Jakarta in 2018 and Hangzhou in 2023.

Fellow swimmer Yao Cuan won gold in the mixed 4x50-meter freestyle relay at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she helped China win gold and set a world record in the mixed 4x50-meter medley relay.

For younger swimmers Li Zhixin and Xie Zhili, and archer Cen Mengkan, the Aichi-Nagoya Games will mark their Asian Para Games debuts, giving them a chance to showcase their skills on the international stage.

China's delegation comprises 500 members, including 312 athletes, and will compete in 335 events across 17 sports. More than 3,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions are expected to participate in the Games.