In Pics | Paralympics open in empty stadium — just like Olympics
The Paralympics began August 24 in the same empty National Stadium — during the same pandemic — as the opening and closing ceremonies of the recently completed Tokyo Olympics.
The Paralympics began August 24 in the same empty National Stadium — during the same pandemic — as the opening and closing ceremonies of the recently completed Tokyo Olympics. (Image: AP)
2/13
Japanese Emperor Naruhito got it all started again, this time under the theme “We Have Wings.” Among the few on hand were Douglas Emhoff, husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons and International Olympic President Thomas Bach. (Image: AP)
3/13
It was a circus-like opening with acrobats, clowns, vibrant music and fireworks atop the stadium to mark the the start of the long parade of athletes. The opening ceremony featured the national flags of the 162 delegations represented, which included the refugee team. In addition, the flag of Afghanistan was carried by a volunteer despite the delegation not being on hand in Tokyo. (Image: AP)
4/13
Comparisons to the Olympics stop with the colorful jamboree, save for the logistical and medical barriers during the pandemic, and the hollowing out of almost everything else. (Image: AP)
Tokyo and Paralympic organizers are under pressure from soaring new infections in the capital. About 40 percent of the Japanese population is fully vaccinated. But daily new cases in Tokyo have increased four to five times since the Olympics opened on July 23. Tokyo is under a state of emergency until September 12, with the Paralympics ending September 5. (Image: AP)
6/13
The Paralympics are being held without fans, although organizers are planning to let some school children attend, going against the advice of much of the medical community. (Image: AP)
7/13
Parsons and Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the Tokyo organizing committee, say the Paralympics can be held safely. Both have tried to distance the Paralympics and Olympics from Tokyo's rising infection rate. Some medical experts say even if there is no direct link, the presence of the Olympics and Paralympics promoted a false sense of security and prompted people to let down their guard, which may have helped spread the virus. (Image: AP)
8/13
The Paralympics are about athletic prowess. The origin of the word is from “parallel” — an event running alongside the Olympics. (Image: AP)
Markus Rehm — known as the “Blade Jumper” — lost his right leg below the knee when he was 14 in a wakeboarding accident, but earlier this year he jumped 8.62 meters, a distance that would have won the last seven Olympics, including the Tokyo Games. Tokyo's winning long jump was 8.41 meters. (Image: AFP)
10/13
Archer Matt Stutzman was born with no arms, just stumps at the shoulders. He holds a world record — for any archer, disabled or otherwise — for the longest, most accurate shot, hitting a target at 310 yards, or about 283 meters. Stutzman, known as the “Armless Archer," has a disarming sense of humor — pardon the pun. He jokes about growing up wanting the be like former NBA star Michael Jordan. (Image: Paralympic)
11/13
Wheelchair fencer Bebe Vio contracted meningitis as a child and to save her life, doctors amputated both her forearms and both her legs at the knees. (Image: AFP)
12/13
Stutzman and Vio are both set to compete in Tokyo and have already won medals in previous games, superstars who told their stories last year in the Netflix documentary about the Paralympics called “Rising Phoenix.” (Image: AP)
13/13
The rest of the 4,403 Paralympic athletes in Tokyo — a record number for any Paralympics — will be telling their stories until the closing ceremony. Paralympic organizers played a part last week in launching “WeThe15,” a human-rights campaign aimed at 1.2 billion people — 15 percent of the global population — with disabilities. They've also produced a 90-second video to promote the cause of social inclusion. (Image: AP)
![Archer Matt Stutzman was born with no arms, just stumps at the shoulders. He holds a world record — for any archer, disabled or otherwise — for the longest, most accurate shot, hitting a target at 310 yards, or about 283 meters. Stutzman, known as the “Armless Archer," has a disarming sense of humor — pardon the pun. He jokes about growing up wanting the be like former NBA star Michael Jordan. (Image: Paralympic)](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2021/08/Matt-Stutzman-.jpg "Archer Matt Stutzman was born with no arms, just stumps at the shoulders. He holds a world record — for any archer, disabled or otherwise — for the longest, most accurate shot, hitting a target at 310 yards, or about 283 meters. Stutzman, known as the “Armless Archer," has a disarming sense of humor — pardon the pun. He jokes about growing up wanting the be like former NBA star Michael Jordan. (Image: Paralympic)")
