Thunderous Applause Rocks La Chapelle Stadium: Unforgettable Moments from the Paris Paralympics
Paris Paralympics: Applause at La Chapelle Stadium
The last award ceremony ended, and the crowd gradually dispersed. On the evening of the 2nd, the badminton events of the Paris Paralympic Games ended, and the jubilant La Chapelle Stadium returned to silence. But the waves of applause and cheers still echoed in the reporter’s mind.
There have been too many moments worth cheering and remembering in the badminton competitions over the past five days.
In the women’s doubles WH1-WH2 final, the Chinese team Liu Yutong/Yin Menglu faced their old rivals, Satomi Sarina/Yamazaki Yuma, who had defeated them in the women’s doubles final at the Tokyo Paralympics. the Chinese team won 2:0. After the game, Yin Menglu shed tears of excitement. “It made up for the regret in Tokyo.” She said, “Three years of hard work, extra training every night, and overcoming the pain are all worth it now.”
Strive, persevere, and realize your dreams. The performance of the Chinese girls deserves encouragement and applause.
In the men’s singles SU5 final, Indonesian player Nugroho, who played with one hand, fell down several times in order to save the ball. After falling to the ground after a save, he hugged his knees in pain and could not stand up for a long time, but after emergency treatment by medical staff, he still insisted on returning to the court to finish the game.
Nugroho, who had been practicing badminton since childhood, suffered misfortune when he was 11 years old and had his left arm amputated. After three years of silence, he regained his spirits, picked up his racket and returned to the court. Although he eventually lost the game, his tenacity and persistence won the respect and applause of everyone.
In the men’s singles WH1 final, Chinese teenager Qu Zimo easily defeated his opponent 2:0 and won his second gold medal in this tournament. The 22-year-old has won four gold medals in the men’s singles WH1 and men’s doubles WH1-WH2 in the two Paralympic Games in Tokyo and Paris. “My idol is Lin Dan, and I have always wanted to be like him.” Qu Zimo said after the game, “I think I have achieved it in my field.”
After winning the game, Qu Zimo waved his arms to celebrate and enjoyed the cheers and applause from the audience. He let the world see the confidence and style of Chinese athletes.
After winning the bronze medal in the men’s doubles WH1-WH2, 50-year-old Japanese player Hiroshi Murayama cried. After becoming disabled due to illness, he started practicing badminton at the age of 38, and competed in the Paralympics for the first time at the age of 47. He was originally going to retire after the Tokyo Paralympics, but with the encouragement of his teammates, coaches and family, he persisted.
This may be Hiroshi Murayama’s last Paralympic Games. Although he regrets not making it to the finals, he is still grateful for his experience in Paris. He said that badminton changed his life and he hopes to use his influence to change more people. He founded a badminton club for people with disabilities in Japan, hoping to let more people know about this sport.
After the game, Hiroshi Murayama lingered in the stadium, reluctant to leave for a long time, and the audience gave him continuous and warm applause.
This is the charm of the Paralympics. It provides a stage for dreams and applauds and cheers for every persistence and hard work.