Paralympic Preview -- Paralympic Leader Excited About Games, Paralympic Torch in Dalian

Philip Craven Excited About Beijing Paralympics

IPC President Philip Craven said he thinks the Beijing Paralympics will be hard to beat. "At this stage all the signs are very, very positive" Craven said.

"The Paralympic Games in Beijing could well be the launch pad for the Paralympic Movement to move to the next level, or to move onto a new ladder.

"I can't say the Games is the best ever at the moment. Maybe I will do, maybe I won't," said Craven. "But the Paralympians are all excited about being here, about being in a wonderful Paralympic Village. That village over there is more certain the best ever."

Craven added that Beijing is taking these Games seriously, and not viewing them as merely a sideshow.

"On the night the Olympic flame went out in the National Stadium, already you were transforming the city, never been seen before, the best ever here in Beijing. This is the Paralympic city now, no longer the Olympic city. That just goes to show the BOCOG and the leadership of the people expecting the Paralympic Games not as a second Olympic Games. So we are just so pleased, we are over the moon!"

He added that the city has taken great steps to ensure it would be barrier free for the Paralympics.

"The airport is very important for the people who use wheelchairs and what's been put in place at the Capital Airport is state-of-the-art," he said. "In fact the BOCOG has devised certain procedures that we have never seen before. That means when you get off the plane, very quickly after the plane arrives, your chair is waiting for you there. That's one example."

The People’s Daily reported that all public transportation in the city has been upgraded to accommodate disabled visitors.

During the Paralympic Games, the Beijing Bus Group will arrange for 936 buses to transport members of the Paralympic Family. Of these buses, 611 have just undergone conversion for Paralympics-use. This conversion includes adding ramps, widening aisles and implementing safety features such as seatbelts for wheelchairs. The Beijing Bus Group will also operate 16 Paralympic routes, which will be serviced by more than 2,800 of these barrier-free buses.

Beijing has also launched its first fleet of barrier-free taxis. A total of 70 modified cabs can be hired by phone during the Games.

Torch Relay Stops in Dalian

The Paralympic Torch Relay made its final stop in Dalian yesterday. The seaport was the last stop on the "Modern China" route of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Torch Relay. This short leg of the relay followed a 3.8 km route focusing on the modern cities of China and had 70 torchbearers.

The Torch Relay will continue on Thursday in Luoyang, the fifth and last stop on the "Ancient China" route. This route encompasses ancient cities of significance to the nation.

ATR Coverage of the Beijing Paralympics is Proudly Presented by Rio 2016.

Written by Ed Hula III.