Taiwanese athletes won a total of three silver medals and two bronze medals at the Paralympic Games this year, the highest number of medals since the 2004 competition in Athens, Greece. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) announced on Monday that they will host the Taiwanese Paralympic team at the Presidential Office this Wednesday for another “Our Heroes! Team Taiwan” celebration.
Similar to the reception for the Taiwanese Olympic team, an exclusive limo accompanied by an honor guard will be arranged to escort the para-athletes. The event will also be streamed live through the YouTube channels of President Lai, Vice President Hsiao, and various other government officials and entities.
Political Deputy Minister of Education Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅), who accompanied the team to Paris, said that he was profoundly moved by their performance and the overall atmosphere of the event. He explained that this was the first time funds were allocated to ensure that Taiwan’s para-athletes received the same resources and accommodations as Taiwan’s Olympic team.
Chang Liao expressed his appreciation to the Taipei Representative Office in France for negotiating with the local mayor to enable the Paralympic team’s access to the Games Preparation Centres. He also pointed out that this year’s Paralympics received the most media attention of any Paralympics to date. Chang Liao expressed his hope that as the principle of equal rights in sports proliferates further throughout Taiwanese society, more individuals with physical and mental disabilities will be motivated to participate in the Paralympics.