Volunteers' selfless service ensures Beijing Games run without a hitch

The 9,000-plus volunteers at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games play a vital role in ensuring all aspects of life for the athletes, both on and off the field, run smoothly. Their efforts have earned the praise of athletes and officials from home and abroad. （PHOTO / XINHUA)

The 9,000-plus volunteers at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games have played a vital role in ensuring all aspects of life for the athletes, both on and off the field of play, have gone smoothly.

To meet the diverse needs of the para athletes and all participants, the volunteers underwent a rigorous training program to ensure the services they provided in the closed loop were comprehensive.

To meet the diverse needs of the para athletes and all participants, the volunteers underwent a rigorous training program to ensure the services they provided in the closed loop were comprehensive

They included training for basic medical and first-aid, how to use wheelchairs, and guidance on when to provide assistance and how best to communicate.

According to the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee (BOCOG), 12 of the volunteers have disabilities.

Among them is Yang Yiming who has a hearing impairment. Yang serves at the Zhangjiakou competition zone in Hebei province. The university student said he was excited when he learned about the recruitment of volunteers for Beijing 2022, but anxious about meeting the requirements.

"I told myself not to think too much and just try. My hearing impairment is something that I can't change. So what I can do is just live the best life that I can," Yang said in an interview with media on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Setting the stage for success

"My life is not that different to anyone else's, and I don't want to be defined just as a person with disability. I want the best for myself and the same as everyone else."

Yang's effort and dedication meant he was able to successfully complete the volunteer training for Beijing 2022, and he now provides information on how to use the facilities and guidance on the layout of the Zhangjiakou competition zone.

He describes his volunteering experience at the Games as touching. "People are always very nice and friendly to me and they appreciate all the work that we volunteers do," said Yang, who is a regular volunteer in the community and in schools.

The 9,000-plus volunteers at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games play a vital role in ensuring all aspects of life for the athletes, both on and off the field, run smoothly. Their efforts have earned the praise of athletes and officials from home and abroad. （PHOTO / XINHUA)

"I feel all the para athletes at the Winter Paralympics, those who've won medals and those who haven't, deserve people's respect.

"There are always highs and lows in sports, so feeling down at some point is inevitable, but they always strive and finish their races. It's inspiring. The results are not everything. What matters most are the spirit, positivity and perseverance that they show."

The participation of volunteers with disabilities demonstrates the inclusive spirit of the Paralympics.

"They personify the ideal of contributing to society and show how much people with disabilities can contribute themselves," said Liu Lili, deputy director of the communication and training division of the Paralympic Games integration department.

READ MORE: A 'super cool' love story

The volunteers are from different age groups and different walks of life, and include university students, retired athletes, medical workers, teachers and community workers.

Liu An'an is one of a number of volunteers to have also served at the Beijing 2008 Summer Games. Back then, Liu was a sophomore student at university. Now, 14 years later, she is still at university but working as a lecturer, and she is leading a team of her own students as volunteers at Beijing 2022.

Liu has spent over 150 days training for and participating in these Games.

She is responsible for the traffic permits of all sorts of transportation vehicles, and needs to coordinate with over 100 different departments, including venues, media, transportation and security.

Liu, along with her students, spent Spring Festival this year inside Beijing 2022's closed loop, which was implemented to keep out COVID-19 infections at the Games.

For many of her students it was the first time that they'd be away from their families during Spring Festival, and so Liu organized special festive celebrations and documented every detail of her team's daily life so that they could preserve and treasure their memories of the Games for years to come.

READ MORE: Former German star hails power of Paralympics

"Becoming a volunteer who's served both at the Beijing 2008 Summer Games and the Beijing 2022 Winter Games is a great honor for me, and I feel a strong sense of pride and responsibility," said Liu.

"My pursuit has been to spread the volunteering spirit and positive energy. And right now I just want to do a great job serving the Winter Olympics and Paralympics."