By David Gold

goalball ChinaOctober 16 - China's hosting of the Eighth China National Games for the disabled in Hangzhou has been hailed by Asian Paralympic Committee President Dato Zainal Abu Zarin for its ability to change people's lives.


Abu Zarin was making his latest trip to the country having visited several times before, including the Paralympic Games in 2008.

After watching goalball (pictured) and sitting volleyball, he said: "It's time for China to give lessons to the others.

"I told my friends in other countries that, if you want to learn something about sport changing people's life, come to China and learn here.

"China said it is a National Games, but the performance class is international.

"The whole Championships are world-class and I expect that because you've done the Beijing Paralympic and Asian Para Games."

China's performance at the Paralympic Games in 2008 underlined their dominance of world Paralympic sport and they finished top of the medal table with 211, including 89 golds.

China also hosted the first Asian Games to be followed by the Asian Para Games, in Guangzhou in 2010, and Abu Zarin praised the Government for its role in organising the succession of events that it in recent years.

"The commitment of the government is stunning, which is dedicated to the whole people inclusively," he said.

"Most of the people on the streets are happy. 

That makes me feel good because sport is supposed to make people happy."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
December 2010: Dato' Zainal Abu Zarin - Guangzhou 2010 has been an outstanding success