CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, about 350 athletes have checked into the Cortina Paralympic Village in an Alpine valley, a village manager said Tuesday.
"We are likely to have already a fully accessible village. We experienced it during the Olympic Winter Games, and it went really well. The units are working really good. The athletes and the teams are very happy with the whole facilities, buildings, recreational area and plaza," said Clara Van Vliet, deputy general manager of the village.
The village is made up of compact wooden cabins decorated with prominent cultural elements of participating teams, such as China's panda and Australia's emu.
"We have a very long village, but we have an internal shuttle. They are also allowed to bring their mobility devices to help them go from one point to another in the village," Van Vliet said. "The fully temporary nature of the village is something new. It's important for us to regard with sustainability. It's going pretty well."
Pin trading, a popular activity in the village, continued Tuesday as China's wheelchair curling team exchanged pins with American curler Stephen Emt.
"This is one team I always want to find right away because we have great relations with the Chinese team. I like the colors of the pins with the panda curling the stone. I love the environment here with the greatest athletes in the world. I have seen old friends and met new friends," said 56-year-old Emt.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics will open March 6 and run through March 15, featuring 79 events across six sports. Para alpine skiing, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling will take place in Cortina. Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing will be held in Val di Fiemme, and Para ice hockey will be staged in Milan.
More than 600 athletes from 52 countries and regions are expected to compete. China has sent 167 members, including 70 athletes, to compete in 71 events across six sports, marking its largest delegation and most extensive event participation in an overseas Winter Paralympics.
Wheelchair curling mixed doubles, which makes its Paralympic debut, will begin Wednesday. China will face Japan in the first round-robin session.
"Our athletes trained hard to prepare for the Winter Paralympics. I hope they can feel relaxed to show their best and pursue dreams here," said He Yongju, deputy team leader of China's wheelchair curling team. ■
