Table tennis players Huang Wenjuan (left) and Jin Yucheng compete during the women’s doubles - WD14 gold medal match at the Paris Paralympic Games on August 30, 2024. Photo: VCG

 As the Paris Paralympics came to an end, Team China has amassed 220 medals, decisively leading the medal table by Sunday afternoon. The haul includes 94 golds, 76 silvers, and 50 bronzes. On top of that, Chinese athletes have broken multiple world records.

“Once again, many athletes from China have shattered world records at this Paralympics, showing that the spirit of Chinese Paralympic sports has been passed down. Generation after generation of athletes have excelled on the Olympic stage, making this success a tradition,” Luo Le, a sports scholar at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, told the Global Times.

Chinese athletes have consistently led the medal table from the very beginning of the games. China's dominance continued in its key events, with swimming, athletics, table tennis, and wheelchair fencing contributing to the bulk of the medals. 

In the swimming events, China won two golds, three silvers, and two bronzes in a single day. In the mixed 4x50m relay, the Chinese team - comprising Lu Dong, Zhang Li, Wang Lichao, and Guo Jincheng - won the final with a time of 2:24.83, breaking the world record. This marked the 600th gold medal for the Chinese delegation in the history of the Summer Paralympics.

China won four golds, three silvers, and four bronzes in athletics. Wen Xiaoyan broke the Paralympic record in the women's 100m T37 to win gold; Jin Hua set a new Paralympic record in the men's 800m T54 to claim the top spot; and Wu Qing broke the Paralympic record in the women's shot put F33 to take gold.

“In fact, the outstanding performances of Chinese athletes in the Paralympics are not limited to Paris; they were equally remarkable in Tokyo, Rio, and previous Games,” said Luo.

At the last Paralympic Games in Tokyo, the Chinese delegation won an impressive 96 golds, 60 silvers, and 51 bronzes, totaling 207 medals and setting 29 world records. This marked the fifth consecutive Paralympics where China topped both the gold and overall medal tables.

Looking back at Rio, the Chinese Paralympic delegation achieved its best results since first competing in the Paralympics in 1984, winning 107 golds, 239 medals in total, and setting 51 world records. These were the fourth consecutive Games where China led both the gold and overall medal tallies.

“Chinese parasports have now developed a legacy. The outstanding performances of generations of athletes on the Paralympic stage have become a feature of China. This confidence in individual athletes also represents our confidence as a strong sports nation,” said Luo.