Largest-ever number of Asian nations set to compete at PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games

A total of 133 athletes from 9 Asian nations are competing at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games which run from 9th – 18th March. This is double the number of athletes from Asia that competed at the Sochi Games in 2014. Almost every Asian nation has increased the size of their team with China trebling their cohort and Japan doubling theirs. An additional two nations will make their Winter Games debut – Tajikistan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The APC supported the DPRK athletes through a financial grant that enabled them to attend a World Cup event which in turn led to them being offered bi-partite slots for PyeongChang.

Asian Paralympic Committee President, Majid Rashed expressed his delight at the huge growth in representation for the region; "The growth in winter para-sports is excellent news for our region. There is still room for growth as nineteen Asian nations competed at the Winter Olympic Games but with the next edition taking place in Beijing, we hope that many more Asian para-athletes will be inspired to take up the exciting and challenging winter sports."

He went on to pay testament to the Agitos Foundation’s work. "A huge thank you must go to the Agitos Foundation. Their programmes have helped a number of athletes from Asia to attend the Games, including for the first time athletes from Tajikistan and North Korea. The work that they do is vital to the development of para-sport in Asia"

ENDS

Jane Jones

MEDIA MANAGER

+92-51-9202948

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