2020 Paralympics news and LIVE - Follow coverage of the opening ceremony in Tokyo ahead of games
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ByEurosport
Updated 24/08/2021 at 15:29 GMT
Welcome to live coverage of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. We kick things off with the opening ceremony before the events get underway on Wednesday. Team GB will be hopeful of a strong Games. In the last Paralympics in 2016 they took home 64 golds to sit second in the medal table, behind only China in the final standings.
Paralympics games.
Image credit: Getty Images
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14:55 - That's all folks
Thank you very much for joining us for a fantastic opening ceremony - see you all tomorrow for the start of the events.
There are medals to be won in Cycling (track), Swimming and Wheelchair fencing, as well as action in Goalball, Equestrian, Table Tennis and more.
14:48 - Let the Games begin!
The torches, attached to three wheelchairs, are brought to the top of the stage.
In the final act of the ceremony, the riders light the cauldron in unison to ignite the Paralympic flame.
One last volley of fireworks shoot around the roof of the stadium to conclude a spectacular opening ceremony.
14:43 - Flame on...
Here comes the Paralympic flame, brought in on three torches for the lighting of the cauldron.
Good practice for the relay event here as the torches are passed around carriers.
14:37 - 'We have wings'
And she's up!
Clapped on by athletes and actors alike, the one winged plane races up the runway before taking flight.
"We have wings," the projected message reads on stage.
14:29 - Tarantino-time
Think Daft Punk meets Blade Runner meets the Paralympics - that's the sort of dazzling, futuristic, multicoloured assembly going on right now.
Oh and Meets Quentin Tarantino too, as the Kill Bill theme is emphatically played by Tomoyasu Hotei.
Looks like the one winged plane is getting ready to fly, all very fun.
14:24 - One winged plane meets sci-fi?
Back to the performative dance of the one winged plane, and she is attempting to take-off.
A violin performance reflects her internal struggle before a multicoloured truck is pushed into the arena.
Thought the feed had accidentally switched to Mad Max for a moment, but then the one-winged plane is back.
14:20 - Paralympic oath read out
"We promise to take part in these Games, respecting and abiding by the rules and in the spirit of fair play, inclusion and equality. Together we stand in solidarity and commit ourselves to sport without doping, without cheating, without any form of discrimination. We do this for the honour of our teams, in respect for the Fundamental Principles of Paralympism, and to make the world a better place through sport.”
14:14 - Games officially OPEN
Japanese Emperor Naruhito declares the Games open!
Music is then performed by a band on stage, before the Paralympics flag is carried to the flagpole by military personnel and passed to essential workers.
Athletes rise for the Paralympic anthem, played by the band.
14:09 - 'We the 15'
Parsons spoke of the campaign to end discrimination against the 1.2 billion people worldwide with disabilities.
Watch the promotional video shown at the ceremony here.
14:00 - "Difference is a strength, not a weakness"
Japan Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto welcomes athletes to the Games.
She is followed up by Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, who discusses the plan for Paralympic sport and disability awareness going forward.
"The Paralympic Games are a platform for change. Difference is a strength, it is not a weakness. You gave your all to be here. This is now your moment to show your skill to the world. You are the best of humanity. You are amazing," Parsons says.
13:51 - 'Winds of change'
Blue and gold winged dancers, representing the 'winds of change' dance to see off the flight of the one winged plane - a female wheelchair performer.
A cast of actors dance to attempt to teach the girl how to fly.
13:47 - Athlete's parade ends
With all nations seated and all flags represented on stage, the lights are dimmed and a gorgeous technicoloured projection begins on the huge stage under the athletes seats.
Multicoloured fireworks light up the Tokyo skyline, as 'the story of a little one winged plane' plays.
13:44 - Watch Team GB's arrival
Have a watch of Team GB's entrance to the Olympic Stadium.
13:41 - Last but not least...Japan
To round off the parade of athletes, hosts Japan.
Their entire team seems to be represented in a huge delegation of competitors that stretches well round the arena...this could take a little while.
13:37 - Three to go as US and France arrive
Saving some of the best till last, the United States enter third from last.
They will be hosting the Games at Los Angeles 2028.
The US are followed in by France, hosts for the next Games at Paris 2024, who enter lined up in coloured tracksuits to match the flag.
13:32 - Rwanda saunter in
The Rwandan athletes arrive in style, choreograph dancing their way into the stadium.
Here's hoping president Paul Kagame will get more joy from this sporting event than from his beloved Arsenal.
Kagame took to twitter to slam the Gunners after their opening day defeat to Brentford, and someone might want to check in on him after Romelu Lukaku and Chelsea put his side to the sword on Sunday.
13:26 - Hat watch
Incredible piece of headgear on the leading Mongolian athlete, rocking a red and gold hat as he arrives.
Selfies galore among the seated competitors, lovely scenes everywhere you look.
13:20 - Venezuela vibes
Venezuela's flagbearer giving a stunning performance at the helm, definite podium contender for best flag waver.
Seems that the official Tokyo 2020 twitter account agrees.
Plenty of flags now assembled on the stage in front of the seated athletes, as Belgium make their way round.
13:14 - What's on?
A reminder of the sports at this year's Paralympics:
Archery, Athletics
Badminton, Boccia
Canoe sprint, Cycling (road), Cycling (track)
Equestrian
Football 5-a-side
Goalball
Judo
Powerlifting
Rowing
Shooting, Sitting volleyball, Swimming
Table tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon
Wheelchair basketball, Wheelchair fencing, Wheelchair rugby, Wheelchair tennis
13:06 - Row-no
Some absentees in the Team GB ranks at the ceremony tonight, with members of the rowing team forced to settle for a sofa view back in the Paralympic Village.
Erin Kennedy, world record holder and two time world champion, gives fans a glimpse of their watch party setup.
13:01 - China are here
It would have been appropriate for the dance anthems to make way for boss music as the nation currently on a four-time medal tally topping streak make their entrance.
The People's Republic of China crushed proceedings in Rio, picking up 107 golds on route to 239 medals, well clear of Team GB's 64 gold and 147 medals in second.
12:58 - Party time
Very much a party atmosphere inside the stadium as the nations continue to trickle in.
Techno music blares on the speakers, with plenty of smiles and waves from competitors despite the empty stands.
12:52 - Dog Watch
Early gold medal for Israel in the 'bring your dog to the Opening Ceremony' event.
An incredible performance from the four-legged Paralympian.
12:48 - Alphonso Davies on 'most courageous sports team in the world' Refugees
The Refugee Team led out the nations the Olympic Ceremony, and Bayern Munich full-back Davies yesterday called them the most courageous sports team in the world".
The 20-year-old Canadian was born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents had fled Syria.
12:41 - Filling up
The floor is slowly but surely filling up as the athletes take their seats in the centre of the stadium.
The 45 Greek athletes are next up, followed by Kyrgyzstan.
12:38 - Cameroon enter in style
The Cameroonian athletes arrive in stunning blue national attire, followed by African counterparts Gambia.
12:35 - Team GB arrive!
Led by Ellie Simmonds and John Stubbs, Team GB enter the Olympic Stadium.
12:31 - Lone warriors
Back-to-back solitary representatives for Aruba and Armenia, whose athletes get the smug albeit lonely privilege of carrying the flag out alone.
Lovely haircut on the Aruban taewkondo star by the way.
12:26 - Afghanistan represented despite absence
A sole Games volunteer carries out the Afghan flag, whose two athletes Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli were forced to withdraw following the government's collapse to Taliban takeover in their homeland.
12:21 - Here come the Athletes!
Ordered by the Japanese alphabet, the competitors arrive at the 'departure lounge' for the parade of athletes.
The Refugee Team are out first, followed by Iceland and Ireland.
12:17 - 'Did you think we would skimp on the fireworks?'
Hopefully the Committee didn't spend all their budget on fireworks as another wave of pyrotechnics blaze around the top of the stadium.
Spectacular dances are performed by Karakuki performers before the Paralympics symbol is assembled via huge balloons.
12:15 - Cogs galore
Juggling, rope-skipping, dancing - it's all kicking off at the Olympic Stadium as performers work on a projection of giant cogs to fix up the plane's propeller.
12:10 - 'Welcome to the Para-Airport'
'Para-Airport' is the theme for the Opening Ceremony, "the hub where Para athletes from all over the world meet. It’s the place where change begins."
12:09 - Lost remembered
The Japanese flag is brought out to sombre piano music as those lost to the pandemic are remembered, before the national anthem is played and the flag is raised.
12:00 - And we're off!
It's a high octane start as dancers dressed in blue perform to a countdown before fireworks light up the stadium.
Swiftly followed by the more low-key introduction of the dignitaries and Japanese president.
11:59 - Opening Ceremony imminent
A stunning aerial shot of the Olympic Stadium and surrounding night-time Tokyo skyline kickstarts the TV coverage of the Opening Ceremony.
Starting any moment now...
11:54 - How to watch the Opening Ceremony
Channel 4 will be showing live coverage of the Opening Ceremony and the Paralympics.
Paralympian basketball player Ade Adepitan is on hosting duties, flanked by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
11:45 - Brisbane 2032
We've got a few more to get through first, but last month Brisbane was confirmed as the host city for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Following Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028, Brisbane will be the third Australian city to stage the event after Melbourne 1956 and Sydney 2000.
11:39 - Rashford's in
The terminology might not have been flawless, but the Manchester United star has got the spirit.
11:34 - Ones to Watch - Maisie Summers-Newton
Just 19-years-old, two years ago the Northampton swimmer became a world champion and world record holder in London.
In 2018, Summers-Newton was nominated for BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year.
The teen has the same condition as flagbearer Ellie Simmonds, achondroplasia, and she will be looking to get one over her 'idol' in Tokyo.
11:25 - Ones to Watch - David Weir
Readying himself for his sixth Games, the 'Weirwolf' is one of Team GB's most successful athletes travelling to the Games.
The 42-year-old wheelchair racer secured a historic four gold medal haul at London 2012, but missed out on a podium finish four years later in Rio.
He will be looking to add to his ten Paralympic medals in Tokyo.
11:18 - Ones to Watch - Ali Jawad
Tottenham's Ali Jawad will be looking to go one better than his -59kg powerlifter silver medal at Rio 2016 as he prepares for his fourth Games.
Born in Lebanon, the 32-year-old fell ill just before his Paralympic debut at Beijing 2008 and was later diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
Ali agonisingly missed out on a podium place at London 2012, but bounced back with a gold and world record triumph at the 2014 World Championships in Dubai before his Rio silver.
11:07 - Not long now...
The opening ceremony is less than an hour away.
11:02 - Still no spectators in Tokyo
Fans may be returning to stadiums and sporting events around the world, but as with the Olympics, there will be no spectators present in Tokyo for the Paralympics due to COVID restrictions.
The Japanese capital remains in a state of emergency, with travel restrictions meaning that several Pacific Islands countries will not be represented at the Paralympics - Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu.
10:53 - Simmonds and Stubbs flagbearers
The British flag will be carried by a pair of four-time Paralympians in swimmer Ellie Simmonds and archer John Stubbs at the Opening Ceremony.
Simmonds will be looking to add to her five gold medal haul, whilst 56-year-old Stubbs will seek to match his triumph at Beijing 2008 as the oldest Team GB to compete in Tokyo.
10:46 - Team GB
Team GB will be represented by 227 athletes competing in 19 of the 22 Paralympics events.
Team GB picked up 64 golds from a total 147 medals in Rio five years ago to finish second in the medals table behind China, smashing their total of 34 golds from London 2012.
144 of the British athletes travelling to Tokyo will be returning Paralympians, with 43 champions among the ranks.
10:36 - Paralympics 2021
539 events, 21 venues, 22 sports. Following a stunning Olympics in Tokyo, the Paralympics are here to continue a fine summer of sport. Running from August 24 to September 5, proceedings kick off with the opening ceremony at midday BST today.
10:30 - Welcome
Good morning everyone and welcome to live coverage of the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. It should be an incredible games and things kick off with the opening ceremony.
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