As a sports fan, I grew up watching the Olympics, but I had never paid much attention to the Paralympics. That was probably because I rarely encountered visibly disabled people in my daily life, and I also assumed that Paralympic events lacked the same drama and excitement as able-bodied competitions.

So when I went to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics in early March as a reporter, I had few expectations for the rivalries, the twists and turns, or the adrenaline-pumping, heart-clutching moments that make live sports so gripping.

However, what I witnessed and experienced on the snow and ice shattered my stereotypes about the athleticism in the Paralympics.

When Chinese para snowboarder Wu Zhongwei was nearly thrown off balance by two colliding competitors ahead of him, I felt my heart leap into my throat and couldn't help clenching my fist tightly in the mixed media zone.

Even more thrilling was watching Wu edge closer and closer to the front-runner, overtaking on the final bump and raising his arms high in triumph. Though we journalists had already been standing and waiting through the long qualification rounds for over three hours that day, we jumped up and down like schoolchildren, clapping and yelling at his success.

In para alpine skiing, athletes hurl themselves down slopes with a gradient as steep as 64 degrees, reaching speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour. Watching them swoosh down while navigating twists, turns, gates, bumps and dips in less than two minutes kept me on the edge of my seat.

When Zhang Mengqiu, a gold medalist from Beijing 2022, missed a pole and slid off the track in one race, she pounded her thigh with her fists in desperation and regret. Her dismay was felt by all of us on the scene.

At the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, the atmosphere during the wheelchair curling semifinals and finals was electric. Loud, raucous fans from competing countries cheered on their teams, responding to every stone with applause when it hit its target or a collective sigh when it missed.

I still remember when Yang Jinqiao threw his stick into the air after winning the mixed doubles gold medal with his teammate Wang Meng, firing up the Chinese spectators gathered in one block, who erupted in thunderous yells.

Thanks to intensified support in recent years, China's para winter sport athletes have access to advanced gear, scientific training regimens and world-class coaches — including some who have transitioned from able-bodied competitions and renowned foreign coaches.

As a result, their performances have improved significantly, adding to their overall competitiveness at the Paralympics.

For any sports fan, I recommend watching the Paralympics above all because it is just as captivating and thrilling as any other sporting event. You'll see all the speed, power, accuracy, stamina, coordination and grit that define mainstream sports, only in a different and maybe less familiar form.

On a personal level, I also find it fascinating to learn the history, rules and tactics of each sport. Why is there no sweeping in wheelchair curling? How is banked slalom in snowboarding different from snowboard cross? How do athletes with visual disabilities manage shooting in biathlon?

As much as I am looking forward to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, I am equally ready to tune in to the 2028 Summer Paralympics — something I have never watched before.

Contact the writer at wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn