72 days until the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics... but a hundred days to go until
the PyeongChang Paralympics.
As the countdown continues, and our Cha Sang-mi met with some of the Paralympic organizes
and atheletes to see how they are getting ready.
Across the slopes of Pyeongchang and Jeongseon and on the ice rink in Gangneung, the 2018
PyeongChang Paralympics will take place from March 9th to March 18th next year
There will be 6 sports disciplines in total: 4 snow sports - alpine and cross-country skiing,
the biathlon and snowboarding.
And two ice sports - wheelchair curling and ice hockey.
Some 1,500 athletes and officials from 50 different nations are expected to join the
2018 PyeongChang Paralympics.
(Stand-up) “The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter
Games will be the first Paralympics to be held in Korea since the 1988 Seoul Paralympic
Games thirty years ago.
And today the hundred-day countdown to the games begins.”
Members of the Korean Paralympic team, local residents and government officials gathered
to witness and celebrate the unveiling of the Paralympics Countdown Tower.
The PyeongChang 2018 organizing committee vowed to prepare equally for both Olympic
and Paralympic Games.
(KOREAN) 1 "We hope to form a global unity between the
Paralympic athletes and non-disabled Olympic athletes through the successful 2018 PyeongChang
Paralympics.
We are now ready to host the world."
Korea's culture minister praised the Korean national team members for overcoming their
obstacles and participating in the Games.
(KOREAN) 2 "We aim to ensure this Paralympics is the
most accessible Games, as well as a peaceful Paralympics that will open new horizons and
provide opportunities for everyone to be engaged in the Paralympics."
Korea's Paralympic Committee says raising awareness about people with disabilities is
key to closing any gap in perception between the two Games.
(KOREAN) 3 "The most important step forward when it comes
to the Paralympics is to raise awareness by letting citizens know that it is not just
a small game among people with disabilities, but that it is as professional, dynamic, and
compelling as the Olympic Games."
And it is certainly not just the government or the organizing committee's wish for the
world to see Paralympic athletes in a different light.
(KOREAN) 4 "Seeing and meeting our athletes in person,
I saw how talented they were.
Lower body workouts are crucial, but some athletes didn't have the right prosthetics
for that purpose.
So we began supporting them with our products so they can do more weights for the Paralympics."
Germany-based prosthetics company Ottobock is an official prosthetics, orthotics and
wheelchair technical service provider for the Paralympic Games.
Ottobock's technicians will be in all three competition venues at the PyeongChang Paralympic
Games to repair wheelchairs, ski equipment, and any other equipment that the athletes
rely on when competing.
(KOREAN) 5 "This prosthesis is designed for skiing, water-skiing,
and wakeboarding.
The high-performance dampers control the flexion and extension movements."
The athletes given the new equipment were delighted.
(KOREAN) 6 "I experienced a completely new world after
getting the new prosthetics.
I never could have thought about running with normal prosthetics, and my old prosthetics
used to break when I was snowboarding."
39 Korean athletes are expected to participate in this Paralympics in all six sports disciplines.
They are determined to do their best in the upcoming Paralympic Games.
(KOREAN) 7 "We are ready for the gold medal.
We have prepared hard and we will do our absolute best to prepare better for the Games."
And the PyeongChang Organizing Committee says only a successful Paralympics can lead to
the completion of the Olympics.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.