Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Tokyo bids spectacular farewell to 'most important' Paralympics

by French Press Agency - AFP

TOKYO Sep 05, 2021 - 2:11 pm GMT+3
Fireworks light up the sky above the Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo on September 5, 2021. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP)
Fireworks light up the sky above the Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo on September 5, 2021. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP)
by French Press Agency - AFP Sep 05, 2021 2:11 pm
RECOMMENDED
Fenerbahçe's Bright Osayi-Samuel (L) in action against Galatasaray's Sacha Boey (R) at the Ülker Stadium, Istanbul, Türkiye, Jan. 9, 2023. (AA Photo)

Galatasaray's Sacha Boey entangled in potential transfer triangle

SÜPER-LİG

After 12 days of high-octane sports action, Tokyo on Sunday bid a spectacular farewell to the 2020 Paralympic Games, hailed as the "most important edition" ever.

Fifteen gold medals were awarded on the final day of action, bringing the curtain down on a competition that saw a record 86 teams win medals and 62 claim at least one gold.

China finished on top of the medal table with 207, including 96 golds, followed by Britain, the United States and the Russian team.

With the sporting action over, attention turned toward the closing ceremony at the 68,000-capacity Olympic Stadium, where the Games opened 12 days earlier with howling guitars and neon-streaked performers.

A total of 163 delegations – one fewer than the London 2012 record – were set to be represented, although not all teams planned to attend in person.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) chief Andrew Parsons said the high turn-out in Tokyo was proof that "the Paralympic movement is stronger than ever before."

"I don't have any doubts that this was the most important edition of the Paralympic Games, because of the pandemic, because we gave a voice to 1.2 billion persons with disability," he said.

The athletes competing in Tokyo included two from Afghanistan, who made a dramatic arrival with the Games already in progress after being evacuated from Kabul.

IPC spokesman Craig Spence said officials had offered taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi and sprinter Hossain Rasouli, who competed in long jump, the chance to carry Afghanistan's flag into the stadium.

He stressed it would be their decision, and neither had been listed as flag-bearers by Sunday afternoon.

At the opening ceremony, the Afghan flag featured in symbolic fashion, carried by a Japanese volunteer.

'Silver bullet'

The day's sporting action began with the early morning marathon events, with Swiss wheelchair master Marcel Hug defending his T54 crown.

"Silver bullet" Hug opened up an early gap on the field and moved away from silver medalist Zhang Yong over the last two uphill kilometers.

"I don't know how to feel. I'm just tired. Empty," said Hug, who won the sixth Paralympic gold of his career in a time of 1 hour 24 minutes 2 seconds.

In the women's T54 marathon, Australian Madison de Rozario clung on to finish ahead of Swiss great Manuela Schaer, winning the gold by just one second.

"That was the longest 500 meters of my life," de Rozario told reporters after finishing in a Paralympic record of 1:38.11.

"That finish line couldn't have come quick enough."

Organizers had urged local residents to stay home and watch the action on TV, but sweet shop owner Atsushi Nishimura told AFP in Tokyo's Asakusa district that he was glad he saw it live.

"We could have enjoyed the Olympics and Paralympics differently if they weren't during a pandemic, but I think it was good for us that we could host the events," he said.

Elsewhere, the U.S. beat China 3-1 to take gold in women's sitting volleyball, with the two teams meeting in the final for the fourth straight Games.

The Americans had ended China's run of three consecutive golds five years ago in Rio, and they got the upper hand again after establishing an early two-set lead.

"This Games was about focusing on every single minor detail," said American Kathryn Holloway.

"We were also very anxious every day. Every single one of us had nerves, for every single match."

The U.S. also claimed gold in men's wheelchair basketball, beating Japan 64-60 after a fourth-quarter comeback.

In shooting, Slovakian Veronika Vadovicova won the mixed 50m rifle prone SH1 final, edging out Sweden's Anna Normann and Spain's Juan Antonio Saavedra Reinaldo.

Badminton, which was making its Paralympic debut in Tokyo, finished with seven gold medals awarded, with Japan and China dominating on the final day.

RECOMMENDED
Fenerbahçe's Bright Osayi-Samuel (L) in action against Galatasaray's Sacha Boey (R) at the Ülker Stadium, Istanbul, Türkiye, Jan. 9, 2023. (AA Photo)

Galatasaray's Sacha Boey entangled in potential transfer triangle

SÜPER-LİG
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    tokyo 2020 paralympics tokyo paralympic games
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A U.S. Air Force airman marshals an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron, at the 86th Air Base near Fetesti, Romania, Feb. 17, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye warns of 'price' if US fails to deliver long-sought fighter jets

    F-16-FIGHTER-JETS
    Tourists visit the courtyard of the Süleymaniye Mosque on a sunny day in Istanbul, Türkiye, January 2023. (EPA Photo)

    Türkiye raises bets as foreign arrivals near record, tourism revenues boom

    tourism-in-Türkiye

    Türkiye inks $200M deal with S.Korean firm for parts of MBT Altay

    altay-tank

    Hungary slams Sweden's 'stupidity' on NATO row with Türkiye

    türkiye-hungary-relations
    No Image
    A week of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021