312 athletes announced to represent China at upcoming Asian Para Games

China has named a 500-member delegation, including 312 athletes, for the upcoming fifth Asian Para Games.

The competition is scheduled to take place from Oct 18 to 24 in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, in Japan.

The delegation was officially announced in Beijing on Saturday at a launch ceremony organized by the China Disabled Persons' Federation.

China will compete in 17 sports and 335 events, marking its largest athlete delegation to an Asian Para Games event held outside the country.

The group of athletes comprises 146 men and 166 women representing 25 provincial-level regions and 13 ethnic groups. They have an average age of 28.8, with the oldest aged 50 and the youngest 16, according to the organizers.

All are amateur athletes from diverse backgrounds, including factory workers, students, office employees and freelancers.

The Aichi-Nagoya Games will mark China's fifth appearance at the Asian Para Games. The event will feature 18 sports and 502 events, including athletics, swimming, table tennis, wheelchair fencing, blind soccer, wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball. More than 3,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions are expected to compete.

Cui Jian, deputy head of the General Administration of Sport of China, encouraged the athletes at the ceremony to strive for strong results and inspire people with disabilities to pursue their dreams through their stories of perseverance.

Cheng Kai, the Chinese delegation's head of mission and chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, said the Games would serve not only as a test of athletic ability but also as an opportunity to strengthen people-to-people friendship across Asia.

Para powerlifting athlete Tan Yujiao said she would compete in the women's 73-kilogram individual event and the mixed team competition, which will make its Asian Para Games debut in Nagoya.

"I hope to help China win the inaugural gold medal in the mixed team event," Tan said.

She also aims to win her fourth consecutive Asian Para Games title in the individual event.

Having trained hard for the competition, Tan said she hoped to demonstrate Chinese athletes' competitive strength, fighting spirit and determination.

Huang Jianhong, coach of the men's wheelchair basketball team, said the squad would rely mainly on younger players who had undergone extensive training and were in good spirits ahead of the Games.

He said one challenge facing wheelchair basketball in China was the limited number of players. "I hope that more people with disabilities will take up the sport," he said.