The famous Maracana football stadium was packed, with the Paralympians themselves seated across the field, as proceedings kicked off with fireworks.
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President Sir Philip Craven paid his condolences to the family, friends and team-mates of late Iranian cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad before officially declaring the 2016 Paralympic Games closed here this evening.
Egypt’s medal-winning champions from the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics have chose to boycott the country’s satellite TV channels due to their failure to broadcast their competitions and a general lack of interest in their achievements.
Brazilian officials handed over the flag to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as the 11 day long worldwide sports event ended today. Compared to the London 2012 Olympic Games, the national Para team won one medal less, but in London only seven athletes won medals, while in Rio eight athletes took medals home. “But not for Rio and Brazil”, he said, wishing good luck to Tokyo, who will be the next city to host the Games.
Paying tribute to Golbarnezhad, president of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee Carlos Nuzman, said: “I want to send a message to the athletes of Iran, our prayers are with you”.
Flags have been lowered to half-mast across the Paralympic village since news of Golbarnezhad’s death broke on Saturday.
Penny Briscoe, chef de mission for the British team, said: “Kadeena’s achievements in Rio have been absolutely remarkable, and she is the flawless choice to be our flagbearer”.
Performers take part in the closing ceremony.
The video looked back at the 1964 Tokyo Games and communicated changes in social attitudes brought about by the Paralympics.
“Otherwise the Russian team is in big difficulties”, he said.
“Tonight is a celebration of the last 12 days of sport but it’s also a very somber occasion following yesterday’s extremely tragic events”, Craven said during a speech at the Maracana stadium during Sunday’s closing ceremony.
Britain’s medal haul was their third highest in the history of the Paralympic Games, which formally began in 1960 in Rome, having had origins at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. Centrowitz ran 3:50.00 in an admittedly slow, tactical race.
China would end the Rio Paralympics with 107 gold medals and 239 in total, nearly 100 medals more than its nearest rival, Great Britain, which held a comfortable second place. China had a total of 239 medals, in which 107 Gold, 81 Silver, 51 Bronze. Great Britain was next with 147 medals and 64 golds.
Members of the audience sit in front of the Paralympic Cauldron wrapped in plastic against the rain during the closing ceremony of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
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The 2020 Paralympic Games are scheduled to take place in Tokyo between August 25-Sept. 6.
