Iran’s Nemati, Rahman Part of Greatest Moment in Americas Para Sport History
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Rio 2016 was Latin America’s first Paralympic Games, the best ever in terms of athletic performance, the second biggest in terms of paying ticket holders and an obvious choice for the top spot in the Americas Paralympic Committee’s (APC) top 20 moments in history.
Iran’s Paralympic champion archer Zahra Nemati, who competed at the Olympics as well, said: “The people of Brazil have been very kind to me during the Olympics and the Paralympics. They have been really nice and special the way they treated me. All I have been trying to do is use this energy I have been getting from them to put it in my sport."
Iran’s powerlifter Siamand Rahman made history by becoming the first Paralympian to lift over 300kg.
Rio 2016 featured 22 sports, two more than at London 2012, with Canoe and triathlon making their Paralympic debut. A total of 4,328 athletes from 159 countries, plus an Independent Paralympic Athletes Team, competed. A record 1,670 female athletes participated.
China topped the medals table for a fourth consecutive Paralympics, followed by Great Britain, Ukraine, USA and Australia, who complete the top-five. A total of 83 countries won at least one medal, the most in Paralympic history.
Belarus’ swimmer Ihar Boki left Rio as the Games’ most decorated athlete with six golds and one bronze. On the track, USA’s Tatyana McFadden sealed four golds and two silvers.
