30 August 2012. VOR Presents… Lighting Up the Night: 2012 Paralympic Games Open in London

In London, the evening of 29 August saw the official opening of the 14th Paralympic Games, with Queen Elizabeth II (1926- ) welcoming the athletes. The opening ceremony began with a colourful performance, entitled “Enlightenment”, which spoke of the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games, a competition that pushes the borders of conventional notions of human capabilities. Then, a formal parade of the participating athletes, from 165 countries, ended the evening’s festivities.

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An overview of the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in East London on 29 August 2012.

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Queen Elizabeth II made the official announcement opening the 14th Paralympic Games.

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84-year-old athlete Margaret Maughan lit the Paralympic Torch. Maughan participated in the first-ever international Paralympic Games, which took place in Rome in 1960. She won the gold in archery.

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The Olympic Flame at the 14th Paralympic Games.

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The opening ceremony was held at the same Olympic Stadium where the 30th Summer Olympic Games had just concluded.

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 The London Paralympic Games will be the largest in the history of the competition. For 11 days, more than 4,000 athletes will compete for 503 sets of medals.

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British Prime Minister David Cameron (1966- ) and his wife Samantha Sheffield (1971- ), Prince William (1982- ) and his wife Catherine (1982- ), Princess Anne (1950- ), and London Mayor Boris Johnson (1964- ) at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in London.

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British actor Sir Ian McKellen (1939- ) gazes through a giant telescope at the opening Ceremony of the 14th Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.

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Opening Ceremony of the 14th Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.

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Opening Ceremony of the 14th Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.

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Opening Ceremony of the 14th Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.

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Opening Ceremony of the 14th Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.

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Opening Ceremony of the 14th Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.

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The Russian Paralympic team consists of 182 athletes, competing in 12 of the 20 categories in the games.

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Opa! The Greek Paralympic team in the parade during the opening ceremony.

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The Icelandic Paralympic team in the parade during the opening ceremony.

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The Chinese Paralympic team in the parade during the opening ceremony.

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Fireworks lighting up the sky at the end of the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Paralympic Games.

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30 August 2012

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/photoalbum/86648609/86648620/

http://english.ruvr.ru/photoalbum/86692072/86692085/

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2012 Paralympic Games Open in London

The Russian team at the Paralympics… it’s time to back the homeboys…

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On Wednesday night, the opening ceremony for the 14th Summer Paralympic Games was held at London’s Olympic Park, and who better to help welcome the Paralympians than a scientist who showed the world that physical limitations don’t limit human potential? “Enlightenment” was the theme, physicist Stephen Hawking the guide, and Olympic Stadium the venue, as London welcomed 4,200 athletes from 166 nations and territories to the 2012 Paralympic Games. The extravaganza, directed by Bradley Hemmings and Jenny Sealey, included 73 deaf and disabled professional performers and 68 disabled people among its 3,250 volunteers.

Over the next 11 days, Paralympic athletes will contest 503 sets of medals in 20 sports, including archery, cycling, rowing, equestrian, sailing, sitting volleyball, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis, and wheelchair basketball. Wheelchair basketball, shooting, swimming, and track cycling are amongst the events set to feature on the opening day. Queen Elizabeth declared the London 2012 Paralympics officially open, during a spectacular opening ceremony watched by some 80,000 spectators.

Britain’s first Paralympic Games gold medallist, Margaret Maughan, 84, had the honour of lighting the cauldron. Paralympics chief Lord Coe told the crowd, “Prepare to be inspired, prepare to be dazzled, prepare to be moved”. Earlier, athletes paraded around the Olympic Stadium. Professor Hawking and actor Sir Ian McKellen played prominent roles in the ceremony, which also featured a host of deaf and disabled artists, local children, and performers newly-trained in circus skills.

Some 3,000 volunteers took part in the event, which organisers entitled Enlightenment and said was “profoundly about science and humanity”. Throughout the ceremony, Prof Hawking acted as a guide to Miranda… a character from William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, who was central to the show… whilst Sir Ian played Prospero, another character from the play. Inspired by uncertain British weather, umbrellas were also a big theme in the ceremony, which was described as “both spectacular and deeply human” by organisers.

Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, welcomed the Queen before members of the British forces carried the Union Flag into the stadium. It’s the first time a British monarch officiated at the openings of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In a statement released before she opened the Games, the Queen said, “It’s with tremendous pride that the people of London and the United Kingdom welcome the world to the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The Games are returning to the country where they first began, more than 60 years ago”.

30 August 2012

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_08_30/2012-Paralympics-open-in-London/

Editor’s Note:

In case you didn’t know, Russian Paralympians are eligible for the titles of Master of Sport, International Master of Sport, and Honoured Master of Sport, just as Olympians are. In short, this is the real deal, it’s recognised as such by the state; it ain’t no sorry-ass Special Olympics…

BMD