Uplifting opening

For the first time in history, the Winter Paralympic cauldron has been lit by a vision-impaired athlete, four-time Paralympic gold medalist Li Duan.

As the final torchbearer, Li ascended the platform, reached out to the ornate snowflake sculpture and placed the torch at its center during the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony at the National Stadium on Friday night.

As an 18-year-old, Li was a professional basketball player in China's national youth team, before a fire extinguisher explosion resulted in the loss of his vision. Two years later, he found a new athletic calling-as a talented long jumper.

He said that practicing the procedure for lighting the flame felt like when he was first training for the long jump, in that it required timing and precision.

"I couldn't see the light of the torch, but I could feel its warmth. The moment I placed the torch onto the snowflake, the warmth of the fire reminded me of the care shown to me from the volunteer community and society," Li said.

"I felt an immense sense of thrill and pride. As the final torchbearer, I felt I wasn't just representing myself, but all Paralympians. By lighting the flame, I had the confidence and the honor to make more people aware of the perseverance of people with disabilities."