Silver medalist Wang Pengyao, bronze medalist Zhu Yonggang, gold medalist Ji Lijia and Zhang Yiqi of China (front L to R) are seen after the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Host nation China made a clean sweep of Para snowboard men's cross SB-UL medals at Beijing 2022 here on Monday, with Ji Lijia topping the podium.
19-year-old Ji, who took up the sport in 2016, said, "I did not expect to get this gold medal. I'm very excited, it still feels like a dream."
"Six years of effort finally paid off today. It is so great to win glory for my motherland, which takes great care of the disabled," he added.
This is China's seventh gold at the ongoing Beijing Winter Paralympics.
In an all-Chinese four-person big final, the four Paralympic debutants competed tightly. In the middle of the race, 17-year-old Zhang Yiqi, who was lying third, lost his balance and fell down, knocking down his close follower Zhu Yonggang.
Ji thus beat Wang Pengyao, 21, to clinch the gold. Zhu, 19, got the bronze.
"It was amazing to compete with my teammates in the big final. We all tried our best in the competitions today. And I want to express my heartfelt thanks to our coaches and our motherland," Wang said.
The top three are all from China's Hebei Province, where the Genting Snow Park, one of the Olympic and Paralympic competition zones, is located.
Zhu said, "It is wonderful to compete on home snow and take medals for our home province."
Fellow Chinese rider Jiang Zihao finished seventh in the small final.
The all-Chinese big final emerged when Ji and Zhu earned a one-two finish in the first semifinal, followed by another one-two by Wang and Zhang in the second semifinal.
The other three Para snowboard cross gold medals up for grabs on Monday went to Cecile Hernandez from France in the women's SB-LL2, Tyler Turner from Canada in the men's SB-LL1, and Finland's Matti Suur-Hamari in the men's SB-LL2.
Chinese rider Wu Zhongwei took bronze in the men's SB-LL1. ■
Gold medalist Ji Lijia, silver medalist Wang Yaopeng(L) and bronze medalist Zhu Yonggang of China pose for photos during the awarding ceremony for Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL event of Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)
Bronze medalist Wu Zhongwei of China poses for photos during the awarding ceremony for Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-LL1 event of Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
Gold medalist Ji Lijia of China poses for photos during the awarding ceremony for Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL event of Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)
Ji Lijia (C), Wang Pengyao (L) and Zhu Yonggang of China celebrate after the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Ji Lijia of China competes during the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Ji Lijia of China celebrates after the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)
Ji Lijia (R) of China competes during the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Jiang Zihao (R) of China and Jacopo Luchini of Italy during the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Song Yanhua)
Wang Pengyao of China celebrates after the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)
Wang Pengyao of China celebrates after the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
Jiang Zihao (L) of China competes during the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Song Yanhua)
Zhu Yonggang (C) of China celebrates after the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)
Ji Lijia (R) and Wang Pengyao of China compete during the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 WinterParalympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
Ji Lijia of China celebrates after the Para Snowboard Men's Cross UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Chinese athletes bronze medalist Zhu Yonggang, gold medalist Ji Lijia and silver medalist Wang Pengyao (from L to R) are seen after the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Chinese athletes bronze medalist Zhu Yonggang, gold medalist Ji Lijia and silver medalist Wang Pengyao (from L to R) are seen after the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Chinese athletes bronze medalist Zhu Yonggang, gold medalist Ji Lijia and silver medalist Wang Pengyao (from L to R) are seen after the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Silver medalist Wang Pengyao, bronze medalist Zhu Yonggang, gold medalist Ji Lijia and Zhang Yiqi of China (front L to R) are seen after the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL event of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Ji Lijia of China competes during the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL quarterfinal of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Wang Pengyao (front) of China competes during the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL quarterfinal of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
Wang Pengyao (C) of China competes during the Para Snowboard Men's Snowboard Cross SB-UL quarterfinal of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, March 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)