The Malaysian contingent marched into the Maracana Stadium looking smart in their orange baju Melayu and baju kurung with the accompanying samping and selendang bearing the tiger stripe motif. More than 4,300 athletes demonstrated first-hand their creed: “The heart knows no limits; everybody has a heart”.
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Globo, the country’s biggest channel, was airing an episode of a soap opera.
An estimated 2,700 male and 1650 female athletes from more than 160 countries are set to compete in 528 medal events across 22 sports over the next 11 days of sporting action.
But when Craven ended his speech and handed over to newly sworn in President Michael Temer, tensions flared, a stark indication of the disquiet which exists within Brazil.
Talking to reporters, Craven said: “Two weeks ago I said we faced unprecedented circumstances and since then we’ve seen unprecedented teamwork. The thing to remember is athletes perform best when they are happy and I only saw happy athletes in the village, and that’s all right for me”.
“Show the world that there is no them, there is only us”, Mr Craven told the capacity crowd.
A German court has dismissed appeals by 84 Russian athletes seeking to compete at the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. Protesters shouted “Temer Out” and “Usurper”. Earlier protests over the last two years brought millions of Brazilians to the streets to ask for the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff. He won silver in the 2012 London Paralympics and silver and bronze medals in the 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008 Paralympic Games.
And just like that, Brazil welcomed the world to the first Paralympics in South America in adrenaline-charged fashion, and Australia’s team flag bearer Brad Ness expected nothing less.
The ceremony ended with an emotional passing of the Paralympic torch, during which 1984 Paralympian Marcia Malsar fell to floor, but was met by a deafening roar from the crowd as she stood up and completed her leg. The team received loud applause from the Brazilian fans.
These Games evolved into the Paralympic Games which debuted in Rome in 1960, involving 400 athletes from 23 countries.
Noting that 4,342 athletes from 159 countries plus members of the worldwide refugee team were taking part, he said: “All I saw were happy athletes in the Village”.
She argues the sport as underpublicized.
“Today’s gala event is a tribute to our Paralympians, whose hard work and courage, belief in themselves and their capabilities serve as an inspiring example to all”, Vitaly Mutko said, reading Vladimir Putin’s address to the Paralympic athletes.
The first president of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, João Batista Carvalho e Silva, also mentions ignorance and lack of interest from society in Paralympic sports.
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Clodoaldo Silva himself says that the Paralympics in Athens were a “watershed moment” for the acknowledgment of adaptive sports. “For the first time, the Paralympics began to be broadcast to the world and to Brazil”.
