All exceptional athletes in their own ways

Masamine Kawaguchi / The Yomiuri Shimbun
Self-sufficiency: Alpine skier Hiraku Misawa balances on one leg as he slashes at high speed down the course on Saturday.

As the Beijing Winter Paralympics hit the halfway point of its 10-day run on Tuesday, we were struck again by just how remarkable these athletes are, each dazzling us with displays of skill and tenacity.

There is the Alpine skier balancing on one leg as he carves out a course at treacherous speed. The skater who powers around the rink solely using arms as if rowing a boat.

Wheelchair curlers skillfully wield a special stick to send their stone to an exact spot on the ice.

On snow and on ice, these photos show the fierce determination that gives the Paralympics a dynamism all its own.