Rio de Janeiro celebrates one year before the start of the 2016 Paralympic Games

Sep 10, 2015 The International Paralympic Committee recently marked the one year countdown to the start of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro with a two-day festival. The event, which was organized to get people into the spirit of the games, also marked the Brazilian Independence Day.

The festival featured the official start of the countdown clock, presentations by Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Nuzman and the President of the International Paralympic Committee Sir Philip Craven.

“Well, it means everything because really this is really the kick-off point for the games, one year to go. We’ve had great athletes competing. You’ve just seen the athletics. And to really feel the spirit of Rio, this unique spirit of sport, of life. So, I’m just over the moon to be here,” Craven said.

The 2016 Olympics and Paralympics will be the first Olympic hosted by a South American country and is expected to be the largest Paralympic Games in history with 4,350 athletes from 178 countries expected to compete.

Tickets for the Paralympics recently went on sale for Brazilian residents. In total, 3.3 million tickets will be made available; a figure that stands over half a million above the recorded sales at the London Olympics in 2012.

Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Nuzman said the games will not only be a major success, but will also be a massive celebration for fans and athletes.

“In addition to being really well organized, the Paralympics will be an exceptional celebration with the human warmth of the Paralympic Games,”