At Rio they won medals across 19 sports while in London they won medals across 17 sports.
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Bahman Golbarnezhad, a 48-year-old Iranian cyclist, died after crashing during a race in Rio de Janiero on Saturday.
Kadeena Cox, who returned from Rio with four medals – two golds, a silver and a bronze – said she was loving the atmosphere too: “I’m feeling awesome, and to get back and get such a warm welcome, it makes me feel like I’ve done something special, and I’m helping other people on my journey”.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media & Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu in Abuja said the physically challenged athletes have once again rewritten the nation’s name in gold by emerging the topmost African team with 12 medals comprising eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the tournament.
“And that day had come, not once, not twice but three times “Negaraku” was aired in Rio”.
It’s the country’s eighth gold this Games.
The women’s T12 race, for athletes with visual impairments, was won by Spain’s Elena Congost, who improved upon her silver from London 2012 to clinch her first gold medal.
As well as the closing ceremony tribute, flags were lowered to half-mast as Iran won gold on Sunday afternoon in the sitting volleyball gold-medal match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, one of the final events of the Games.
The tournament, which was topped by China in the gold medal table with a total of 107, was followed by Great Britain, Ukraine, USA and Australia, with 64, 61, 40 and 22 gold medals respectively.
“More than that, all of you have opened up the eyes of sports enthusiasts in Malaysia and all over the world, that perseverance as well as an indomitable and tireless spirit go beyond the physical limits that may exist”, he said.
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After his right leg was amputated below the knee, he went without painkillers for two months, according to the Rio 2016 website. President Michel Temer, who had just taken power after his rival Dilma Rousseff was thrown out of office in an impeachment vote, was loudly booed by the crowd at both at the Olympic and Paralympic opening ceremonies.
