Para taekwondo and Para canoe take centre stage after making debut at Hangzhou 2022

Athletes from Para taekwondo and Para canoe made history at Hangzhou 2022, as being the first ones in their sports to compete in the Asian Para Games. These two sports were added to the programme for the event in the Chinese city and each of their tournaments consist of 10 medal events.

As the crowd cheered, home favourite Shao Qian beat Surenjav Ulambayar of Mongolia in the women’s K44 -52kg taekwondo event, making headlines in China.

“I feel very excited. I’m very happy to be able to join Para taekwondo for its premier show at the Asian Para Games,” said Shao Qian. “I believe this is a great opportunity for people to see our strength, for people to see the fights that we have.”

Shao started Para taekwondo only two and a half years ago, and the Asian Para Games were her third major international tournament. She experienced a “low point” after struggling with her performances at the World Championships, but now she bounced back and won her first major title.

“Taekwondo is not a well-known sport so we need to try to increase awareness about the sport. Asian Para Games are a wonderful opportunity to increase awareness and let everyone know that people with disability can also take part in other things,” she said.

“I believe this is a wonderful opportunity to promote awareness.”

Other gold medallists on the first day of Para taekwondo competitions included Thailand’s Ziyodakhov Isakova, who beat gold medal favourite Khwansuda Phuangkitcha, in the women’s K44 -47kg event.

She jumped on the mat and hugged her coach after winning her final in golden time.

“I didn’t know about the score because I had to keep fighting. After this I need to train and revise what I didn’t do well in this match,” she said. “Para taekwondo is a really fun sport for me because I need to fight hard.”

Canoe athletes dazzle

Earlier in the day, five Para canoe athletes topped the podium at Fuyang Water Sports Center and celebrated with their coaches and teammates. Xie Maosan took the first gold medal of the Asian Para Games, leading the hosts’ 31 gold medal haul on the first day of competition in Hangzhou.

Xie won the women’s KL1 final with a time of 55.478 seconds, finishing ahead of Japan’s Monika Seryu and Sara Abdolmaleki of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

While Para canoe has been staged at the Paralympic Games since Rio 2016, Asian athletes have never won a medal. But Yu Xiaowei, who has competed at two Paralympics, hopes that will change.

“The Paris Paralympic Games will be my third time to participate in the Paralympic Games after Rio and Tokyo Paralympic Games, where I finished seventh,” said Yu, who took silver in the men’s KL1 race.

“I hope I can make a breakthrough in my performance and strive for a better place at the Paris Paralympic Games.”