"Welcome home!" Applause filled the VIP Hall 2 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at around 2 PM on September 11th as Guangdong's athletes who participated in the 17th Summer Paralympics returned home from Paris, laden with honors. Guangdong Disabled Persons' Federation held a ceremony to celebrate the athletes' triumphant return.

At this year's Paris Paralympics, the Chinese sports delegation won 94 gold, 76 silver, and 50 bronze medals, totaling 220 medals overall. This remarkable achievement secured China's position at the top of the gold and overall medal tables for the sixth consecutive Paralympics. The Guangdong athletes contributed significantly to this success, winning 12 gold, 8 silver, and 4 bronze medals (with 12 athletes winning bronze across 4 events). Two athletes set new world records, equaling the best-ever performance by Guangdong athletes at the Paralympics.

"Mom, I want to see the gold medal and take a bite!" exclaimed the child of Pan Jiamei, who won the women's doubles table tennis gold medal at the Paris Paralympics. Pan's husband and child had traveled from Foshan to greet her with flowers. Her child couldn't resist touching and even biting the gold medal hanging around the mother's neck.

"Before I went to Paris, my child told me he wanted to see the gold medal and take a bite. His wish became my motivation. Winning this gold medal fulfilled both his and my dreams," Pan Jiamei said. She hopes to balance her training with family responsibilities and looks forward to winning more gold at the 2025 National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the National Special Olympic Games (NSOG).

The allure of competitive sports lies in surpassing oneself, but it also comes with moments of solitude away from the spotlight. At the welcome ceremony, 35-year-old boccia veteran Zheng Yuansen was moved to tears. This was his fourth Paralympics, and despite his thorough preparation, he narrowly missed out on a medal.

"I have some regrets, but the passion and love for this sport still burn within me. I started playing boccia when I was 20, and now I’m 35. Fifteen years of my youth have been dedicated to this sport. It's my mission, and I am determined to fulfill it," said Zheng Yuansen, choking back tears. In 2025, the 15th National Games, the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG will be held in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Zheng plans to continue pursuing his dream on the court.

In the Paris Paralympics, Guangdong maintained its leading position in several strong events. In cycling, five athletes from Guangdong won a total of 3 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medals. In table tennis, Guangdong's three athletes won 3 gold and 3 silver medals. In archery, two athletes from Guangdong secured 2 gold medals.

Women's wheelchair basketball was a key team event for the Chinese delegation, with nine athletes from Guangdong making up three-quarters of the national team, the highest representation from the province in any sport. The Chinese women's wheelchair basketball team won the bronze medal at this year's Paralympics.

Guangdong also achieved breakthroughs in some of the more challenging events. After an 8-year hiatus, 34-year-old Zhou Guohua returned to the Paralympic track and field stage, breaking the world record in the preliminary round of the 4x100m mixed relay with a time of 45.09 seconds. The team went on to break the record again in the final with a time of 45.07 seconds, securing the most prestigious gold medal in athletics.

Guangdong athletes also made history in niche events. Lin Ximei won the gold medal in the individual boccia event, and Lan Zhijian won gold in the team event, marking the first time that China has won Paralympic gold in boccia and creating a historic milestone for the sport.

载誉归来！广东参加巴黎残奥会运动员今日返粤

“欢迎你们回家！”9月11日14时许，广州白云机场2号贵宾厅里掌声不断，广东省参加第17届夏季残奥会运动员从巴黎载誉归来，广东省残联举行仪式，欢迎运动员凯旋。

本届巴黎残奥会，中国体育代表团获得94金、76银、50铜，共220枚奖牌，蝉联6届残奥会金牌榜、奖牌榜第一。广东获得12金、8银、4铜（12人获4项12人次铜牌）的优异成绩。其中，2人打破2项世界纪录，追平残奥会广东运动员历史最好成绩。

“妈妈，我想看一下金牌，咬一口！”巴黎残奥会乒乓球女子双打冠军潘嘉敏的爱人和孩子专程从佛山赶来，为她献上鲜花。看着妈妈脖子上挂着的金牌，孩子忍不住摸来摸去，还咬了一口。

“在来巴黎之前孩子就和我说他想要金牌，想咬一下金牌。所以孩子的期待也是我的动力，这次夺冠实现了他的愿望，也实现了我的愿望。”潘嘉敏说，希望接下来训练的同时能多照顾家庭，期待2025年残特奥会再夺金牌。

竞技体育的魅力在于超越自我，但也有领奖台和聚光灯之外的落寞。在欢迎仪式现场，35岁的硬地滚球“老将”郑远森流下了热泪。这是他第四次参加残奥会，虽然准备充分，但却与奖牌擦肩而过。

“有遗憾，但我内心的那一份热情、那一份热爱还在。我刚接触硬地滚球那会才20岁，现在都35岁了，一眨眼就15年了，我整个青春都奋斗在硬地滚球这项运动上了。这是我的使命，我一定要完成它。”郑远森流着热泪哽咽地说道。2025年，十五运和残特奥会将在粤港澳大湾区举办，郑远森将继续带着梦想驰骋赛场。

据介绍，本届巴黎残奥会，在优势项目上，广东继续保持领先。自行车项目，广东共5名运动员获得3金3银1铜。乒乓球项目，广东省共3名参赛运动员获得3金3银。射箭项目，广东省2名运动员参赛获得2金。

女子轮椅篮球是中国体育代表团的重点集体项目，广东省共有9名运动员参赛，数量占国家队的四分之三，也是广东参赛人数最多的项目。本届残奥会，中国女子轮椅篮球队摘得铜牌。

在基本大项上，广东实现逆境突围。34岁的周国华时隔8年，再次回到残奥田径场上，在4x100米混合接力赛的预赛中以45秒09晋级决赛并打破世界纪录，决赛中以45秒07再次打破世界纪录并夺得冠军，拿下田径赛中最有分量的金牌。

在特色项目上，广东突破历史。广东运动员林细妹夺得硬地滚球个人赛金牌，蓝智坚夺得团体赛金牌，实现了中国硬地滚球残奥会历史上“零的突破”，创造历史。

文、图丨记者 柳卓楠 通讯员 粤残宣
翻译丨郑圣浩
英文审校丨赵凡