Tokyo Paralympics | Images from the first week highlight grit and passion of athletes
The Paralympic Games have been under way for almost a week in Tokyo and will continue until the closing ceremony on September 5. There are 22 sports in the Paralympics. Some carry the same name as in the Olympics - such as swimming, archery, badminton, rowing, track cycling, road cycling, and so forth. But there are sports that are unique to the Paralympics: sitting volleyball, boccia, goalball, and 5-a-side-football. In addition, there are four sports that are contested by athletes in wheelchairs, but the sports will sound familiar: wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, and wheelchair tennis. Here are some photos from the first week of competition.
Associated Press
August 31, 2021 / 17:16 IST
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New world record holder Sumit Antil of India prepares to compete in the men's javelin throw F64 final during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Games at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, August 30. (Image: AP)
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Japan's Yui Kajimi competes during women's doubles quarterfinal tennis match against China's Huang Huimin and Huang Jinlian at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 29, in Tokyo, Japan. Each athlete has unique differences that have to be classified according to individual impairments. (Image: AP)
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Australia's Ryley Batt falls during the wheelchair rugby bronze medal match against Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 29, in Tokyo, Japan. Each athlete has unique differences that have to be classified according to individual impairments. (Image: AP)
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Australia's Andrew Edmondson falls during a semifinal wheelchair rugby match against the United States at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 28, in Tokyo, Japan. (Image: AP)
United States's Susannah Scaroni competes in the women's 5000-meters T54 final during the 2020 Paralympics at the National Stadium in Tokyo, August 28. (Image: AP)
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Argentina's Mauricio Ibarbure competes against Japan's Takumi Nakamura in the boccia individual BC1 pool match at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 28, in Tokyo, Japan. Image: AP)
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Beatriz Hatz of the United States competes in the women's T62 long jump final during the 2020 Paralympics at the National Stadium in Tokyo, August 28. (Image: AP)
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Daomin Liu competes at Women's 200m Individual Medley - SM6 Heat 1 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 26, in Tokyo, Japan. (Image: AP)
Sumeyye Boyaci, from Turkey, competes at Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Relay - 20 Points Heat 2 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 26, in Tokyo. (Image: AP)
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Ibrahim Hamadtou of Egypt plays against Park Hong-kyu of South Korea in Class 6, Group E of men's table tennis at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 25. (Image: AP)
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Sonalben Patel of India plays against Li Qian of China in Class 3, Group D of women's table tennis at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 25. (Image: AP)
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Argentina's Mariela Delgado competes during a heat of the Cycling Track women's C5 3000m Individual Pursuit at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 25, in Izu, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan. (Image: AP)
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Alexa Szvitacs of Hungary prepares to serve against Danielle Rauen of Brazil in Class 9, Group A of women's table tennis at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 25, in Tokyo. (Image: AP)
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France's Maxime Valket, left, and Greece's Panagiotis Triantafyllou compete for a bronze medal in men's sabre individual category B at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, August 25, in Chiba, Japan. (Image: AP)
