The enthusiasm of the Winter Olympics is still warm, and the curtain has been drawn on the Winter Paralympic Games. At the National Alpine Ski Center in Xiaohaituoshan, Yanqing District, Beijing, the stadium staff is working feverishly on the transition to the Winter Paralympic Games. Everywhere you look for Winter Paralympic signs, new barrier-free access, wooden planks and non-slip mats on the snow... Familiar locations, familiar scenes, but in many details have been adjusted. Behind these changes, it shows the concept of humanized competition service.
National Alpine Ski Center Cable Car
On the afternoon of February 26, a gust of wind blew on The Hill of Little Haituo. In front of the doping testing station in the alpine ski race end zone, staff are reinforcing the newly constructed barrier-free passage with wooden planks. Not far from the end of the track, a boardwalk paved with snow has been completed, with a layer of non-slip mats on it, which is very smooth to walk on.
"These are designed to allow athletes to be able to pass without obstacles during the race. In fact, from the moment the athletes arrive at the Paralympic Village, we want to create an environment for them to move smoothly in any situation. Liu Jie, Paralympic Integration Manager of the Venue Operation Team of the National Alpine Ski Center, said, "This involves an important concept of our competition - humanization." We hope to try not to use external forces such as human lifting to help athletes with disabilities to act, but to strive to create an inclusive environment in which they can pass on their own, which reflects equality and respect. ”
National Alpine Ski Centre wheelchair accessible
In the dining area of the athletes' lounge, there is a drink cabinet, which is different from the usual placement of the same kind of drink in a row, and each floor of this drink cabinet is placed with a variety of different drinks, which seems a little messy at first glance, but you can understand its intentions when you think about it. Liu Jie explains: "In this way, including people in wheelchairs, everyone can get the desired drink in a position suitable for their height. ”
Drinks cabinet in the athletes' lounge
There are many more similar humanized designs. According to Liu Jie, the National Alpine Ski Center has adhered to the synchronous planning and construction of the two Olympic Games at the beginning of planning and construction, and has set up 11 permanent and temporary barrier-free ramps, 23 barrier-free elevators, and 33 barrier-free toilets. During the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games, they will provide special facilities for seated athletes, with a total length of 980 meters in the racing track and a magic carpet with a length of 115 meters and a net width of 1.2 meters in the end of the competition area, so that the seated athletes can connect and move between the lounge, the track and the training track.
"In addition, a series of conversion work, such as changing the snow for the track, changing the landscape signs, and adding accessible vehicles, are all in an intense and orderly manner." Liu Jie said, "We are confident to complete the preparation work before the official competition starts, and provide the most powerful guarantee and the most attentive service for the winter Paralympic athletes in various countries (regions)." ”
Wheelchair and prosthetic storage rooms
As the event draws closer, many athletes can already be seen on the training ground, and China's Zhu Daqing has begun training. She said: "The accessibility facilities here are very good, I took the cable car all the way from the Winter Paralympic Village to the top of the mountain, the cable car seats and heating function, very comfortable." I feel very lucky to be able to play in such a good field and service conditions in my own country, and it also stimulates my fighting spirit. ”
Nikki, instructor of the Netherlands Disabled Alpine Ski Team, said: "The bedroom is big and the toilet is convenient... The hardware and accessibility are among the best I've ever participated in in the Winter Paralympics! Chinese organizers have made very good and excellent preparations for hosting the Winter Paralympic Games. ”
Photo: Liu Yangtao
Reporters | Luo Xin, Ma Kai, and Dong Yixing