Paralympics: Curtain drawn on Rio Games, flag handed to Tokyo

Sep 21, 2016, 01:18
Paralympics: Curtain drawn on Rio Games, flag handed to Tokyo

The UAE Paralympic team returned to a hero's welcome after a record-breaking campaign in Rio on Monday.

The legendary Maracana stadium hosted the closing ceremony of the XV Paralympic Games.

A giant conga-line of athletes snaked around the stadium to the cheers of thousands of fans who danced in the stands to Brazilian funk music.

Such were the swingeing cuts necessary after Paralympic funds were used as contingency for the Olympics that the Rio 2016 organising committee considered not having a final extravaganza for the Paralympics.

As the Rio 2016 flame was extinguished marking the official end of the Games, excitement awaits as the Tokyo 2020 showed its passion for the Paralympics.

But he was also honoured just hours after his race at the closing ceremony when he was elected to the athletes' council of the International Paralympic Committee.

The celebration turned momentarily somber during a tribute to Iranian cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad who suffered a fatal bike crash while competing on Saturday, September 17th, photo courtesy of the International Paralympic Committee.

Television viewing figures for the Games reached an all-time high, according to paralympic.org, with organizers expecting the cumulative global TV audience for the event to top four billion people.

One of the first performers at the ceremony was Jonathan Bastos, a Brazilian who was born without arms but has become an accomplished musician, playing instruments with his feet.

A personal message from the Queen added to the excitement of their return, saying: "I offer my warmest congratulations to the athletes of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and indeed to the athletes of all Commonwealth countries, for their many successes in Rio de Janeiro".

Referring to the political instability and deep recession plaguing Brazil, he conceded that it had been "a mission of many doubts".

Paralympic Athletics were by far the most successful event with 33 medals and proving the country's constant evolution: in Sydney 2000 there were nine, Athens 2004, 16, Beijing 2008, 15 and London 2012, 18.

Eleven days of competition where China dominated the medals table, followed by Britain, Ukraine and the United States, were ending today with the last few events, including marathons and wheelchair rugby.

The Russian national team did not take part in the games.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, described the Nigerian contingent to the Rio Paralympics in Brazil as true heroes, who gave their best to their fatherland in a press releases issued by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Deputy President of the Senate, Uche Anichukwu on Sunday.

Both athletes received a solid gold medal.

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