Tim Hollingsworth rejected allegations some track and field athletes will be competing against rivals who are significantly more disabled.
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Over the next 11 days, more than 4,300 athletes from 159 countries will compete in 528 medal events in 233 different sports in Paralympic sport’s premier event.
Aaron Wheelz, extreme wheelchair athlete, made a spectacular entrance, breaking through a prop with the number zero, to signify the start of the Games.
In an event celebrating differences and asking for more inclusion, Rio de Janeiro kicked off the 2016 Paralympic Games. Viewers can watch features, interviews and news stories on the Olympic Channel’s Paralympic sport page at: https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/sports/paralympic/.
Brazilian judo gold medalist Rafaela Silva, left, and Tomas Magalhaes, member of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, carry Paralympic torches in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue on its way for the opening ceremony in Ri.
Five-time Paralympian, and men’s basketball wheelchair captain, Brad Ness has been granted the honour of becoming the nation’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony.
Rio 2016 spokesperson Mario Andrada said: “We passed 1.6million tickets sold. These are powerful people and they force the athletes to take them as coaches”, Raj said while addressing a press conference here.
Then, one by one, representatives from the 164 participating countries paraded around the stadium, including Ibrahim Al Hussein, a Syrian refugee who joins the Paralympics as an independent athlete. This is partly a result of the reasonable prices for many tickets, only 10 Brazilian reals ($3).
Rain falls on participants during the opening ceremony.
The ban was initiated after allegations of a state-sponsored doping system in Russian athletics were revealed in a November 2015 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report.
The 21-year-old from Minster has had to overcome a series of injuries since taking team bronze at London 2012 and admits repeating that feat will be a tough ask.
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.
Organisers said the Olympics and hopes for Brazilian gold medals had boosted sales. The opening ceremony saw a packed Maracana Stadium.
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We are confident that these athletes will show the world what it means to be Canadian as they proudly wear the Maple Leaf and push for the podium.
