The Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro has participants from 159 countries and 4,432 athletes who will compete in 22 categories, two more categories than in the London 2012 Paralympics due to the inclusion of triathlon and canoeing.
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The central theme of the opening ceremony was “Everybody has a heart” with the president of the International Paralympic Committee Philip Craven making a rousing speech, highlighting the inspiration behind the event.
When the Brazilian team came out in flower-patterned jackets, led by a storming contingent of athletes in wheelchairs, the legendary football stadium roared in delirium.
Resounding boos greeted Brazil’s unelected acting president Michel Temer when he opened the Games, throwing the spotlight on a country battered by recession and political scandal. The country just removed its elected president, and these games needed a government bailout of nearly $80 million to make it to the starting line.
Russia has opened an alternative event for national Paralympians banned from the Paralympic Games in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, the Russian news agency TASS reported Wednesday.
The Rio 2016 Paralympics will be held from 7-18 September.
At a time of great financial hardship and political unrest in this country, the doom and gloom that hangs over the Games was temporarily lifted as we were reminded of the capacity of these athletes to inspire and change a nation.
That was the first of many feats which will astound at the Games, which have belatedly captured the imagination, 17 days after the Olympics closed with the Paralympics embroiled in the worst build-up in its 56-year history. The feeling coming out of the athletes village is that athletes are happy.
In Russia, where the ban for state-sponsored sports doping has been fiercely contested, there was high praise for Fomochkin.
Wheelchair athlete Aaron Wheelz flies through a giant number zero.
Brazilian Paralympian Marcia Malsar fell while carrying the Olympic torch as rain began to pour, and recovered to a standing ovation before swimming legend Clodoaldo Silva scaled four ramps in his wheelchair to light the flame.
Globo and other Brazilian media outlets also printed reports that Bach is wanted for questioning by local police investigating an illegal ticket-selling ring allegedly involving a senior Irish Olympic official.
Earlier on Wednesday, Craven said ticket sales for the 11-day Paralympics had reached nearly 1.7 million, having risen from 300,000 less than three weeks ago.
Rio Paralympics organizers have seen an uptick in ticket sales in recent days, announcing Tuesday that 1.6 million tickets have been sold.
But Nuzman said “Brazilians never give up”, then he told the athletes: “You are superhumans”.
Temer took over as president after Dilma Rousseff was removed from office on impeachment charges a week ago by the federal senate. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.
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