[Will.]

A thread to discuss the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics.

The 2016 Summer Paralympics (Brazilian Portuguese: Jogos Paralímpicos de Verão de 2016), the fifteenth Summer Paralympic Games, are an upcoming major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016, making them the first Summer Paralympics to be held during the host city's wintertime. This will mark the first time a Latin American and South American city hosts the event, the second Southern Hemisphere city and nation, the first one being the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, and also the first time a Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country hosts the event. These Games will see the introduction of two new sports to the Paralympic program: canoeing and the paratriathlon.

The lead-up to these Paralympics have been met with major financial issues, which were primarily attributed to tepid sponsor interest and ticket sales. These shortcomings have resulted in cuts to volunteer staffing and transport, the re-location of events and the partial deconstruction of the Deodoro Olympic Park. However, none of these cuts have affected the Games themselves.

[Will.]

Opening ceremony LIVE in 10 mins!

[Jack_]

The Last Leg back where it all began

[Shaun]

Davina, Meat Loaf & Joanna Lumley

[Black Dagger]

I'll try and watch as much as I can tbh.

[GiRTh]

Julie Walters

[Jack_]

Well this is awkward as hell

[Jack_]

messsssssss

[Novo]

Megan Giglia with our first Gold

[Shaun]

I can't help but feel guilty for not caring as much about this... I don't know why there's such a big gap between the Olympics and this because my interest in a sporting juggernaut just fizzles out.

[Headie]

Originally Posted by Shaun

I can't help but feel guilty for not caring as much about this... I don't know why there's such a big gap between the Olympics and this because my interest in a sporting juggernaut just fizzles out.

I've always said they should put the Paralympics on before the Olympics imo, it would help get more people watching (I am like yourself who hasn't really been as engaged with this as I was Olympics). Having it on weeks after the Olympics almost in itself sends out the message that these games are the inferior ones, which isn't true at all.

[Braden]

Yeah, I do think the Paralympics being on after the Olympics does stop people with bothering with the former, but it;s a shame because when you watch the opening ceremony you see everyone and they're equally as excited and pumped for the games...

[Jack_]

It's early days yet but I was certainly more enthused for the Paralympics last time, but that's probably because I was just desperate for some more of London 2012 (and I went to one of the athletics sessions)

I'm actually more sympathetic of late to the idea that para-sports should just be included in the Olympics themselves. It works perfectly well for the Commonwealth's, though 17 days + 11 is a whole month so they'd probably have to find a way to cut it back some how

[Novo]

Sarah Storey catching Crystal Lane after 1375m think that's one of the big problems with the Paralympics, more athletics dominate events because it's hard to determine what category athletes should be in at times, not like it's their fault but its just one of those borderline things that can never really be solved

[Denver]

10 medals on Day 1 not to bad

[Niamh.]

Ireland's Jason Smyth wins gold in the T13 100m

[Denver]

we have already beat our London 2012 Gold medal tally