Specialneeds commagazine2016

Celebrates

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v Must See Memorable Moments v v Inspirational Stories of Triumph v v Family Resources v v Exceptional Companies v v And So Much More v

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With the backdrop of Brazil, the first South American city to host the Paralympic Games, September 7 – 18 provided intense excitement throughout: 11 Days of Competition 528 Events 225 Medals for Women 265 Medals for Men 38 Mixed Medals 163 Countries 4,359 Athletes and 23 Paralympic Sports including: Archery, Athletics, Boccia, Canoe Sprint, Cycling Road, Cycling Track, Equestrian, Football 5-1-side, Football 7-a-side, Goalball, Judo, Power Lifting, Rowling, Sailing, Shooting, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Tennis.

The following pages celebrate these inspirational athletes, Their families, coaches, volunteers, companies, contributors, photographers and thousands of others dedicated to the global support and respect for the achievement of dreams that the Paralympic Games provide worldwide.

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TAble of Contents Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Message of Peace Unveiled at Rio Landmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Rio Welcomes the World to the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 US Paralympics Announce Full Delegation for Rio 2016 . . . . . . . . 10 Veterans Lead Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 USA Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Wins Gold in Rio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 US Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team Wins Historic Paralympics Gold Over Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 USA Celebrates After Beating Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 U.S. Sonar Sailing Team Wins Paralympic Silver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 5 Medal Winning Teams . . . . . . . . . 20 Rachael Morrison Smashes Her Own World Record for Paralympic Discus Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Team USA Wins First Women’s Sitting Volleyball Paralympic Title . . . . . . 24 Hug Grabs Gold He Has Been Longing for at Rio 2016 . . . . . . . . . 28 Queen Hails ‘Magnificent’ Paralympians on Homecoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 4

Benoit Huot Tops List of 161 Canadian Athletes Named for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 4 Paralympians Ran the 1500m Faster Than the Olympic Gold Medalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Three Time Marathon Grand Slam Winner Tatyana McFadden Wins First Paralympic Marathon Medal . . . . . 34 Team USA Has Strongest Finish at Paralympic Games in Recent History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Final Medal Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Rio Paralympics 2016: Memorable Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 K adeena Cox — Two Sports, Two Golds Delight at Daniel Dias D ame Sarah Storey Rewrites the History Books L ee Pearson — Exemplifying Paralympic Spirit Rio Paralympics 2016: Closing Ceremony Tribute for Bahman Golbarnezhad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Highlights of Paralympics Closing Ceremony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Thank You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Resource Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Message of peace unveiled at Rio landmark

The giant flag was divided into seven pieces to be transported up to the Christ statue © Rio 2016/Alex Ferro. By Rio 2016

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iant mosaic made up of 500 flags designed by local schoolchildren goes on show ahead of official opening of Paralympics.

A stunning visual tribute to the power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote peace has been unveiled at Rio’s most famous landmark.

The giant mosaic of nearly 500 flags produced by local schoolchildren – each with a message inspired by the Olympic truce – was laid around the feet of the Christ the Redeemer statue on Monday.

The huge artwork, which covers the entire viewing area around the monument, was the result of an initiative involving 646 Brazilian schools that are part of the Transforma programme.

They were invited last April to create flags with messages of peace and produce

a virtual flag, which earned 207,652 likes on social media, with the 10 most popular creations earning one of the Rio 2016 Olympic torches for their school.

Nearly 500 schools sent their flags to Rio 2016, which joined them together in the giant mosaic that will be displayed around various Rio landmarks.

The key message is “Crianças devem brincar” (Children must play) in reference to Rio 2016’s commitment to supporting the rights of children.

The giant flag was divided into seven parts before being taken 700m above sea level to be laid around the Christ statue, at the top of Corcovado mountain.

The next stop for the peace flag will be the iconic Maracana Stadium, venue for the Paralympic Games.

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Rio welcomes the world to the opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games

Photo courtesy U.S. Paralympics

Clodoaldo Silva after lighting the Paralympic cauldron.

Tomaz Silva/AgĂŞncia Brasil.

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Aaron Fotheringham enters the stadium on a ramp.

Tomaz Silva/AgĂŞncia Brasil.

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elcome to ToileChic . . . the first major product designed for every home and every lifestyle, yet also perfectly suited for people with disabilities. ToileChic is a luxurious upholstered arm chair covering a toilet. Oddly enough, the toilet is the only thing in the home that hasn’t been significantly changed or modernized in appearance, from the original porcelain toilet, in over 100 years. ”It was time for a change,” said owner, designer Kathy Monteiro.

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ToileChic was originally invented by Ms.Monteiro, who owns an interior design firm in the San Francisco bay area, after remodeling a client’s bathroom. She said, “My client had spent a small fortune for a gorgeous bathroom and was adamant that she didn’t want to put an ugly toilet back in the room. She asked me why someone didn’t invent a chair that would cover the toilet, which would also then provide a chair in the bathroom without taking up additional space.”

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aesthetic toilet as I had originally envisioned, but subsequently I broke my ankle and was confined to a wheelchair and crutches. It was then that I realized the difficulty people with special needs and seniors have in getting on and off the toilet. It was exhausting and it was dangerous. With the upholstered arms on the ToileChic, getting on and off was so much easier, it was so much more comfortable and in case of a fall, so much

accommodate a seat cushion in lieu of a toilet seat during several years of development, ToileChic was introduced at the Las Vegas Kitchen and Bath Show, showcasing 5 different chair styles with matching bidets that look like ottomans.

Ms.Monteiro added, “At the show, we had so many people ask if we had a portable bedside version. One lady pleaded with me to make one for her

Matching Bidet and Ottomans

safer than falling on hard metal or porcelain. I felt as if my broken ankle was meant to happen.” She put ToileChic Portable into design and production while she was recuperating.

Monteiro said, “It has really been an unintended blessing to design a brand new product that is beautiful and functional with the added bonus of helping so many people, and making their lives feel less challenged. I understand this first hand. Having to face those horrible toilet aides several times a day is absolutely unacceptable. Now there is a beautiful, practical alternative.”

ToileChic and ToileChic Portable can also be custom made to fit any person’s specific requirements usually at no additional cost. All of the chair styles and ToileChic Portable with removable bowl (above) comes in 5 chair styles with fabric or faux leather either the Crypton Fabrics or faux leathers selections to fit any decor. are the same price. The ToileChic flushes by using a built in recliner handle because she had a condition that required conveniently located on the side of the keeping a portable commode in her living chair and comes with a Toto or a Kohler room, which was very embarrassing for toilet. The ToileChic Portable has a her. With a ToileChic portable version, no removable plastic bowl for convenient one would ever know that the beautiful emptying and cleaning. Shipping is chair was a commode and guests could sit also included. on it to visit, just like any ordinary chair.”

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US Paralympics announce full delegation for Rio 2016 Courtesy of US Paralympics

Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long poses for a portrait at the 2016 Team USA Media Summit in Beverly Hills, California© • Getty Images

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eam USA will send its largest delegation to the Paralympics with 267 members.

US Paralympics has announced its full team competing at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The 267-member team, which includes seven guides for athletes with visual impairments, is the largest US delegation in history.

“We are very excited and proud to announce our largest team yet to compete in the Paralympic Games,” said Rick Adams, chief of Paralympic Sport and National Governing Body Organizational Development, United States Olympic Committee (USOC). “To see our team increase in size by more than 17 per cent since London is tremendous, and it shows the growth of the Paralympic Movement here in the US. This team of 267 athletes is 10

not only going to excel on the field of play, but they are also going to captivate the nation with their athleticism and determination, inspiring the next generation of amazing athletes.”

US athletes will compete in 20 sports contested throughout the 11 days of competition.

For the first time since 2004, Team USA qualified all eight of its team sports to compete in the Games.

At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Team USA claimed a total of 98 medals, finishing fourth in the medal count. Among the members of the 2016 US Paralympic Team are 14 reigning Paralympic champions, and 18 athletes who won multiple medals in London, including swimmer Jessica Long (five gold, two silver, one bronze) and track and field

athletes Raymond Martin (four golds) and Tatyana McFadden (three golds, one bronze).

The team also includes 30 military veterans and active duty service members, some of whom were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 2016 US Paralympic Team roster may still be adjusted due to injury, illness or exceptional circumstances until the technical meetings for each sport.

2016 US Paralympic Team notes: • Swimmer McClain Hermes, who turned 15 in January, is the youngest member of the 2016 US Paralympic Team.

The oldest member of the team is 64-year-old sailor Dee Smith.

• Cyclist Allison Jones has the most Games experience with this being her eighth Paralympic Games,goalball athlete Jen Armbruster is making her seventh Games appearance, and six athletes are competing in their fifth Games. In total, 125 athletes have prior Games experience, while 142 are making their Paralympic debut.

• Swimmer Jessica Long is the most decorated athlete with 17 Paralympic medals, with Tatyana McFadden owning 11 medals. In total, there are 69 Paralympic medallists on the team.

• There are 30 military athletes on the team, three continue to serve on active duty in the US Army: shooter John Joss, swimmer Elizabeth Marks and archer Michael Lukow. The Army has the largest representation with 20 athletes, with six athletes having served in the Marine

Corps, three in the Navy and one in the Air Force. Triathlete Krige Schabort served in the South African Army.

• Twenty athletes were born outside of the US, with birthplaces in Albania, Canada, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Germany, Iraq, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and Ukraine.

• Team USA’s athletes call 43 states and Washington, DC home. California has the most representation with 29 athletes, while Michigan and Washington are tied for the second-most represented states with 14 athletes.

• There is a 109.22cm difference in height between the tallest and shortest member of Team USA. High jumper Roderick Townsend is 200.66cm, while wheelchair basketball player Trevon Jenifer is 91.44cm tall.

• In the track and field competition at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the United States will be represented by 66 athletes, including four guide athletes, making it the largest sport delegation for Team USA. • Grace Norman and Allysa Seely will pull double-duties as they compete in both Para triathlon and track and field.

• Oksana Masters and Alana Nichols are both competing in their third Paralympic sport in Rio. Masters is competing in cycling after previously medalling in rowing and Nordic skiing, while Nichols will make her Para canoe debut after winning gold in wheelchair basketball and alpine skiing.

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Veterans Lead Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team

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“I remember doing a convoy operation to provide security for the engineers who were doing road construction,” he said. “We drove the entire route and then started on our way back. About halfway back we got struck. My right leg below the knee was shattered, and I was completely knocked out.”

Stuck said his turret gunner’s arm was severed on the spot, and that his co-pilot suffered a concussion. He said his buddies pulled him from the wreckage and wrapped a tourniquet on his leg to slow the bleeding. Stuck got medevaced to base, and then sent to Germany, where he Five of the 12 men on the U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team have previously served in the U.S. military. By Scott McDonald faded in and out of consciousness. He said he could barely feel and wiggle his toes.

The next avenue they went down was “I woke up on a ventilator in Germany the road to recovery. Now they are a combut didn’t know what happened,” bination that passes and sets for the U.S. Stuck said. “A doctor told me what men’s sitting volleyball team, which has five military veterans on the 12-man roster. happened, and then I passed back out.”

His conversations seemed more of a Dan Regan, Jese Schag and Josh Smith dream than reality — until he woke up for also served in the military. The injuries of these three were non-service related. Stuck good and asked his bedside nurse if he still said the presence of veterans in the Games had his right leg.

“She looked at me like I was insane,” is inevitable, though.

Stuck said. “So I asked her again and she “You’re starting to see more and more looked me square in the eye and said ‘No.’ veterans participate in disabled sports because so many of them are coming back I started crying. That’s the hardest I ever cried in my life.” from two wars fought overseas, and it’s Stuck refused to let it get him down. making it tougher to make the ParalymWithin five weeks of losing his leg, he pics,” said Stuck, a setter on the sitting skied the slopes on one leg. He walked volleyball team the last six years. “So makintermittently on his new prosthetic 5-10 ing the team is an honor.” weeks after the explosion, and he comStuck, who served in the Army’s 101st pleted a 10-mile race just 10 months after Airborne Division, said he doesn’t remember his Humvee hitting a roadside bomb or the blast.

He got into sports through the Military the subsequent blast that took his leg. He Paralympic Summit and fell in love with said those with him that moment on Dec. 20, 2005, in Kirkuk, Iraq, told him the vivid volleyball. He worked with the men’s national team and became its setter. In details. ames Stuck and John Kremer traveled similar roads to the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Paralympic Games. Their comparable journeys include the war on terror, a first-hand meeting with land mines, leg amputations and overnight stays in a German hospital.

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his spare time, he plays outside hitter on an able-bodied team and has dabbled in beach volleyball.

Much like Stuck, Kremer had to deal with a land mine.

Kremer went into the Navy as a hull technician and worked his way through dive school and then explosive ordinance disposal school — both in Florida. He served three tours in Iraq before getting orders to Afghanistan.

While out on a mission to clear a hill of land mines in the Kunduz Province near Tajikistan, he stepped on a land mine. Kremer said he remembers flying into the air and then landing hard. He reached up to wipe the dirt and dust from his eyes, and then checked to see if he still had his legs.

“I looked up to check my left leg and all I saw was blue sky,” Kremer said. “My right leg was badly damaged, but I didn’t know how bad it was.”

He was sent to the medical station and then to Germany for a couple of days.

The Navy flew him back to the states and doctors determined it was best to amputate his right leg below the knee, since he would deal with problems in his heel the rest of his life.

Kremer’s daughter was born 12 days prior to his injury in September 2010, so he made it his next mission to learn how to walk with her. By December, he learned to walk unassisted — no canes, crutches or wheelchairs — on two prosthetics. He began running in February and skydiving shortly after. He completed a 10K race one year to the day after his injury.

The Navy Warrior Games team reached out to gage his interest in their upcoming games. He tried out for wheelchair basketball, volleyball, shooting and swimming. Volleyball became his sport, and playing the libero position has become his specialty.

“I’m a decent hitter, but I’m better at passing and digging,” said Kremer, who retired from the Navy as a first class petty officer (EOD1).

Schag, also a setter for the volleyball

team, served in the Marine Corps from June 2008 to October 2011 and discharged as a lance corporal.

“I joined to serve my country and protect those who can’t protect themselves,” Schag said. “When I got injured I started playing sports and was in the first two Warrior Games for the Marines.”

He participated in sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and the 50-meter backstroke.

Smith, a middle hitter who comes from a family of military members, served in the Marines from 2005-15 and reached staff sergeant (E-6) in rank. He actually wanted to join the Army, but said the recruiter “no-showed” on him twice, so he walked down the hall of his high school and met a Marines recruiter. He deployed to Iraq from October 2008 to May 2009.

Regan is a 44-year-old middle blocker who served in the Army National Guard from 1994-2006. He was the USA Volleyball Male Sitting Athlete of the Year in 2011, just six years after a boating accident led to amputation of his right leg above the knee. His deployments were all stateside.

“At the time I felt everyone needs to serve their country in some form or another, be it military service or public service,” Regan said.

Now the quintet will wear the red, white and blue as one unit, once again for their country.

“Being in the military comes up in joking, but there’s definitely a special bond because it is Team USA,” Kremer said.

“We’re all there competing for each other and for our country. Everybody feels that passion to compete for Team USA” Scott McDonald is a Houston-based freelance writer who has 18 years experience in sports reporting and feature writing. He was named the State Sports Writer of the Year in 2014 by the Texas High School Coaches Association. McDonald is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc. 13

USA Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Wins Gold in Rio

GOLD for the USA at the at Rio 2016 Paralympics wheelchair basketball. Friedemann Vogel/Getty Images.

Story Courtesy Fox Sports

US Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team Wins Historic Paralympics Gold Over Spain

By National Wheelchair Basketball Association

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he U.S. Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team returned to the top of the podium at the Rio Paralympic Games claiming its eighth overall gold medal and the first since Seoul 1988 by defeating Spain in a defensive game, 68-52. It is also the first time since 1988 when both the U.S. men’s and women’s teams won gold medals, and the first time since 1996 when both teams medaled. Tonight’s gold-medal victory completes the sweep of gold medals for the United States in both men’s and women’s basketball at the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Both teams started the first two quarters were played safe as both teams were exchanging baskets evenly with each other. At the 2:23 mark of the first, Aaron 14

Gouge of Wake Forest, North Carolina, tied up the game at 8-8, and Brian Bell of Birmingham, Alabama closed the first with a second remaining for a 12-8 lead. Bell led the U.S. in scoring in the first with six points, and Gouge had four.

The second was a see-saw affair as each team would score in four-point stretches, with Spain tying the game early on and only able to inch as close as one point. With just over a minute remaining in the half, the U.S. called a timeout to regroup. With 43 seconds remaining, Jake Williams of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, provided a spark on offense with a threepointer that hit nothing but net for a 2620 lead. To close out the quarter, two-time Paralympian Trevon Jenifer of Huntington,

USA on top, 47-42.

It was not until the 7-minute mark of the fourth quarter when Team USA rolled onto victory off of two back-to-back steals

by Jenifer, who hit Williams for a rolling layup and he was intentionally fouled on the next fast break attempt, essentially putting the game out of reach, 52-44.

Two-time ParalymThe U.S. men’s wheelchair basketball team celebrates its gold-medal win over Spain pian Nate Hinze at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on Sept. 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Story/Photo of Cedar Grove, courtesty of www.teamusa.org.

Wisconsin, scored the last four points of the game from the “A lot of it was Spain’s defense. I foul line, and finished the night with seven thought they played us very well. We points. The United States continued to didn’t do a good job of spacing the floor pressure Spain and outscored Spain 21-10, at first, so they didn’t have to move as and the gold medal. much. That made it difficult for us to get “It was a team defensive effort. We shots,” said U.S. Men’s Head Coach Ron Lykins of Columbia, Missouri. “At halftime, went out there and knew that we needed to stop the ball, and we needed to get we really talked about spreading the floor, some points,” said Jenifer. “It was just the and we went with a different lineup. Once we spread the floor, we were able to move right time, right place kind of thing. The two steals are accredited to the excellent a little bit more, we had better ball movedefense that was displayed by the other ment, and that led to better shots.” guys.”

At the half, Bell leads the team with Williams led Team USA with 20 points nine points and five rebounds. Three-time and five assists, with Bell finishing the day Paralympian Josh Turek of Council Bluffs, with 15 points and seven rebounds. Serio Iowa, who came in during the second finished with seven points, eight rebounds quarter, put back six points. And for the and dished out 10 assists. third consecutive game, co-captain and “This is an incredible moment for our three-time Paralympian Steve Serio of team, and to do it in this way, where it Westbury, New York, has commanded the wasn’t just one guy – Jake had a great floor with four points, six rebounds, and six assists. The United States is shooting 67 game today for sure – but it was a full team effort to get the win. I couldn’t think percent at the half, to Spain’s 39 percent. of a better group of guys that I’d want to The third quarter belonged to Spain as share this experience with. I’m so incredthey outscored the United States, 19-18, ibly happy right now,” said Serio. “I just and was only the second team to do that found out that this was the first time that during the Rio Games. The tempo of the Team USA swept the men’s and women’s game was controlled by Spain with mogold for the Olympics and Paralympics. ments where it appeared the U.S. men So all four gold medals – that is quite the would get a momentum shift in their accomplishment, and I think it speaks to favor. Williams and Serio drained a couple how popular and awesome our sport is in long-range three-pointers to keep Team Maryland, hit Bell under the basket where the first backwards layup did not fall, however he got his own rebound and spun for the basket, giving Team USA a 29-23 lead.

Continued on Page 16

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US Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team Wins Historic Paralympics Gold Over Spain Continued from Page 15

our country. Hopefully this medal for both our men’s and women’s Paralympic teams increases the awareness for our sport and we can take the momentum from here and go on to Tokyo.”

For Spain, Alejandro Zarzuela finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, and his twin brother Pablo had 16 points.

The United States is a perfect 4-0 against Spain at the Paralympic Games, and last playing them in 1988 Seoul, 1996 Atlanta, and 2012 London. Team USA is 78-15 in the Paralympic Games.

Team USA led 8 of the 12 stat categories: Field goals perentage at 53.2; points for at 614 (76.8/game); points against at 349 allowed points (43.6); assists with 226 (28.3); least called fouls at 79 (9.9/game); least turnovers at 63 (7.9/game); steals with 76 (9.5/game); and 145 fast break points.

Lykins as the head coach of four U.S.

Teams has earned a total of four medals over his coaching career – 1992 women’s silver; 2004 women’s gold; 2008 women’s gold; and 2016 men’s gold. Joining Lykins on the sidelines will be assistant coaches Robb Taylor of Auburn, Alabama, and John Sikora of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Scott Meyer of Columbia, Missouri, will serve as the Team Leader, with Mary Vacala of Savannah, Georgia, filling the athletic trainer position. Also assisting in preparations are strength coach Michael Cohen of Savannah, Georgia, and team psychologist Dr. Roberta Kraus of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The U.S. men’s team finished with a bronze medal at the London 2012 Paralympics and look to improve in Rio de Janeiro. The men’s team finished seventh in 2004 and fourth in 2008, following bronze-medal performances in 2000 and 1996.

USA Celebrates after beating Spain

USA celebrate after beating Spain for the gold medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images 16

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U.S. Sonar Sailing Team Wins Paralympic Silver By U.S. Sailing

Rick Doerr, Brad Kendell and Hugh Freund celebrate winning silver in the Sonar class at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on Sept. 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

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ith a victory in the final race of the event, U.S. Paralympic Team sailors Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.), Brad Kendell (Tampa, Fla.) and Hugh Freund (South Freeport, Maine) have won silver medals in the Sonar class, the three-person Paralympic keelboat. For all three sailors it is the first Paralympic medal of their careers.

Gold in the Sonar was won by the Australian team of Colin Harrison, Russell Boaden and Jonathan Harris. Bronze was secured

by Paul Tingley, Logan Campbell and Scott Lutes of Canada. Several teams were in the running for the podium coming into the 6th and final day of the sailing events of Rio 2016, but Team USA saved their best race for last to win silver in dramatic fashion.

“Rick, Brad, and Hugh sailed a great series and earned their silver medal today by racing smart and fast in the final race, on a difficult course and under pressure,” said Josh Adams, Managing Director of U.S. Olympic Sailing, who served as Team Leader for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. “They’ve worked incredibly hard 18

as a team over the years and deserve this result.”

Doerr, Kendell and Freund entered Rio 2016 as the reigning Para Sailing World Champions and had high hopes for a podium performance. Doerr, the helmsman, is the longest-tenured athlete on the U.S. Sailing Team, having campaigned for the Paralympic Games almost continuously since 1998. Rio 2016 was his second Paralympic appearance following an 8th place performance in Beijing 2008 with different teammates. For Kendell and Freund, Rio 2016 is their first career appearance at the Games.

“We came into today in a similar position as we had at the World Championship earlier this year, with everything to play for on the final day,” said Freund on the dock.

“We really sailed the way the three of us know how to sail this boat.”

Kendell said that it was hard to put into words what this means for the three tightknit athletes. “2016 has been unbelievable, and this is the year we’ve worked so hard for. Coming in as World Champions,

you don’t want to let it get inside your head, but you know at least that you have a chance to medal.”

The team also paid tribute to their coach, Mike Ingham (Rochester, N.Y.) who worked intensively with Doerr, Kendell and Freund for the final two year years of the Rio 2016 quadrennium. “We had talent on our team, but Mike figured out how to make it all work,” said Freund. “If you look at our trajectory, it’s a huge testament to his ability as a coach to get the most out of people.” Ingham holds over 20 U.S. national and North American one-design sailing titles, and helped Doerr, Kendell and Freund win their first world championship as a team.

Doerr (56), a surgeon in his professional life, sustained an injury in a 1992 car accident that left him wheelchair-bound.

Doerr had grown up sailing in New Jersey, but when he heard that sailing was to be a demonstration sport at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, it started him on a new and eventful path in the sport. Doerr narrowly missed qualifying for Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004 before joining the U.S. Paralympic Team at Beijing 2008. As was the case in Brazil, Doerr entered the Games in China as the reigning Para Sailing World Champion, but he and his team could not find their way to the podium. Undaunted, Doerr teamed up with Kendell and Freund for a run at London 2012, and again narrowly missed selection.

Despite this setback, the three teammates profoundly enjoyed sailing together, and committed to campaigning for Rio 2016. Doerr’s longevity at the highest levels of adaptive sailing, as well as his success, makes his story all the more remarkable. As sailing has been removed from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games by the IPC, it is possible that Rio 2016 represented the last chance for the three sailors to accomplish their long-held goal.

Kendell (35) comes from a family of

professional sailors, and his father Bruce got him started in the sport at age 7. A 2003 plane crash that claimed the lives of his father and a friend necessitated the amputation of both of Kendell’s legs above the knee. Kendell also sustained significant burns across his body, and the healing process was both long difficult. Getting back into the sport of sailing through adaptive competition proved therapeutic for the native Floridian, and a way to both remember and honor his father. Now a father himself, Kendell has said that long weeks on the road away from his family is the toughest aspect of the Paralympic path.

Freund (28) hails from the coast of Maine, and like his teammates is a lifelong sailor. During a 2007 ski trip, Freund discovered a problem with his leg that eventually revealed itself as an aggressive form of bone cancer. Freund survived the illness, but his right foot was amputated during his freshman year at Roger Williams University. Following a suggestion from his college sailing coach, Amanda Callahan (Bristol, R.I), Freund began competing in adaptive sailing, and quickly qualified for the U.S. Sailing Team. In an interesting twist of fate, one of Freund’s earliest coaches at the local Harraseeket Yacht Club in Maine was Dave Hughes (Miami, Fla.) who competed on the same race courses in August as part the Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team.

In addition to their 2016 accomplishments, the American Sonar team has amassed an impressive list of successes during their six years of racing together.

The trio has won five medals at Sailing World Cup Miami, North America’s premier Olympic and Paralympic classes regatta, since joining forces. In 2015, Doerr, Kendell and Freund won the Sunbrella Golden Torch Award in Miami, given to the top-performing American boat at the event. They were the first Paralympic-class athletes to gain this distinction in the 26year history of the event.

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5 Medal Winning Teams

Courtesy Paul D. Bowker, and Team USA.org

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ive medal-winning teams, all of them coming off memorable performances in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Paralympic Games, are up for Team of the Paralympic Games, presented by Dow.

Men’s Goalball Team Rio Accomplishments: Team USA won a silver medal and defeated host Brazil 10-1 in the semifinal round in front of a home country crowd.

Why it Mattered: The U.S. men’s goalball team medaled four years after it failed to qualify for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The silver medal was its first Paralympic medal since 2004.

Fun Fact: Team member Matt Simpson is a membership and outreach coordinator for the United States Association of Blind Athletes and he was a tournament coordinator for the 2015 IBSA World Youth Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

What’s Next: Winning a medal in Rio qualifies the U.S. team for the 2018 IBSA World Championships in Malmo, Sweden.

The tournament is a qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

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Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team Rio Accomplishments: Team USA defeated China 25-12, 25-12, 25-18, finishing off a 4-1 run at the Paralympic Games to win the gold medal.

Why it Mattered: The U.S. women won a gold medal in sitting volleyball for the first time in the Paralympic Games.

Team USA had lost the championship match to win silver medals in the previous two Paralympic Games.

Fun Fact: Since the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Team USA and China had played in five tournament finals, with China winning four of them. Team USA defeated China in the title game of this year’s World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup and then the Paralympic Games.

What’s Next: After returning home to celebrate winning their gold medals, the team will re-unite with training at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team Rio Accomplishments: Team USA defeated Spain 68-52 in the gold-medal game to finish off an unbeaten run in the

tournament. Jake Williams scored a team-best 20 points in the title game.

Why it Mattered: The gold-medal run marked the first Paralympic title for Team USA in men‘s wheelchair basketball since 1988. It was the nation’s eighth gold medal in Paralympic Games history, and built upon an undefeated streak that dates back to 2014.

Fun Fact: The men’s victory in the championship game completed a first-ever Team USA men’s and women’s sweep of wheelchair basketball at the Paralympic Games and men’s and women’s basketball at the Olympic Games.

What’s Next: Team members returned home with a mission of spreading the word of wheelchair basketball and hoping to successfully defend their gold medal in 2020 in Tokyo.

Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team Rio Accomplishments: The U.S. women’s wheelchair basketball team claimed back the gold medal, defeating 2012 Paralympic Games champion Germany 62-45 in the championship game.

Why it Mattered: Team USA won the gold medal in women’s wheelchair basketball for the third time in four Paralympic Games. It now has a record eight medals, one more than Germany.

Fun Fact: The U.S. women’s team went unbeaten through the Paralympics Games for the third time.

What’s Next: Coach Stephanie Wheeler, a two-time Paralympic gold medalist as a player in 2004 and 2008, hopes the team’s win will help grow the Paralympic movement.

Wheelchair Rugby Team Rio Accomplishments: The U.S. wheelchair rugby team won the silver medal, but not before it took 2012 Paralympic champion Australia to double overtime in the final game.

Why it Mattered: Team USA continued its run of Paralympic medals dating back to the debut of wheelchair rugby at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Team USA won the gold medal in Sydney, and now has also two gold, a silver and two bronze medals.

Fun Fact: Chuck Aoki, who scored 111 goals for Team USA in Rio, and won his first gold medal in the 2010 World Wheelchair Rugby Championships, is a blogger for the International Paralympic Committee.

What’s Next: The team returns to the Lakeshore Foundation in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area, which is its training home. Lakeshore is the High Performance Management Organization for USA Wheelchair Rugby.

Paul D. Bowker has been writing about Olympic sports since 1990. He is Olympics editor and Assistant Sports Editor at the Cape Cod Times in Massachusetts. Bowker has written forTeamUSA.org since 2010 as a freelance contributor on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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Rachael Morrison Smashes Her Own World Record For Paralympic Discus Gold

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wo new Paralympic champions were crowned at Olympic Stadium Wednesday as Team USA added five medals to its tally, including two gold, and smashed a world record.

Rachael Morrison (Farmington Hills, Michigan) won her first Paralympic gold in record-breaking fashion in the women’s discus throw F52 as she topped her own world mark set at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in October. The defending world champion was challenged by U.S. teammate Cassie Mitchell (Atlanta, Georgia) who broke Morrison’s world record on her second attempt with a mark of 12.87-meters.

Three throws later, Morrison took back the record, adding 22 centimeters to polish off gold with a final mark of 13.09.

“It feels amazing,” Morrison said. “To set a world record at a Paralympic Games leaves me mostly speechless with a plastered smile across my face which will be there for quite a while.”

Mitchell, who has overcome a difficult year with a leukemia diagnosis in April, won her second medal of the Games.

She’ll turnaround from the track to the pool as she’ll compete with the U.S. Paralympic Swimming Team tomorrow in the women’s 50-meter backstroke S2.

“That’s one of those things where you go with the flow,” Mitchell said. “I haven’t

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Photo courtesy of Joe Kusumoto, Story Contributor, Brianna Tammaro

really thought about it too much other than it’s exciting. There’s no expectations.

I’m here, I’m going to do my best and have fun. Now I have two medals in my pocket and I’m going to be thankful for the moment and thank God for the opportunity to be able to swim.”

Roderick Townsend (Stockton, California) entertained the Brazilian crowd with his sideline dancing and leaping in the men’s long jump T47.

Townsend’s opening jump and Paralympic record of 7.25 carried him through the rounds until China’s Hao Wang bested him with a jump of 7.30. The 24-year-old answered aggressively, leaping 7.41 to take his first Paralympic gold.

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Team USA Wins First Women’s Sitting Volleyball Paralympic Title

By Karen Patterson. Members of the U.S. women’s sitting volleyball team celebrate during the gold-medal game against China at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on Sept. 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Courtesy of Karen Patterson, and TeamUSA.org

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he U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team completed its historic Paralympic Games with the team’s first-ever gold medal on Saturday, defeating China 25-12, 25-12, 25-18.

The gold medal win follows silver medals for Team USA at the 2012 and 2008 Paralympic Games, and a bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympics when women’s sitting volleyball made its debut as Paralympic sport.

“We’ve worked hard the past four years for this and the outcome just shows how hard we worked,” Monique Burkland (Ardmore, Oklahoma) said. “We just went point by point. We know they don’t give up and always come back. We’ve been in

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that position before where they’ve come back and won, so we knew we had to keep going at it.”

Burkland led a U.S. offense that continuously attacked, even as China struggled to find its rhythm. Burkland had a team-high 12 points (11 kills, one block).

Lora Webster dominated the net with a match-high five blocks and 10 rebounds, adding one kill and one ace for seven points. Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Washington) (six kills, two aces) and Captain Heather Erickson(Fayetteville, North Carolina) (seven kills, one block) rounded out the leading scorers with eight points each.

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Hug Grabs Gold he has been longing for at Rio 2016

© • OIS • By IPC

“I still can’t believe it, I can’t say how happy I am. I’m really, really, really happy,” Swiss ‘Silver Bullet’ Marcel Hugfinally grabbed the Paralympic gold medal he has been waiting for, winning the 800m T54 at Rio 2016 on Thursday (15 September) as world records continued to fall.

The 30-year-old seven-time world champion, who has won four silver and two bronze medals across four Paralympic Games, looked determined to finally top the podium as he immediately took to the lead, and he held on over the two laps, speeding home to take gold in 1:33.76.

“I still can’t believe it, I can’t say how

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happy I am. I’m really, really, really happy,” said Hug, who admitted that the pressure was on after winning 1,500m and 5,000m silver earlier in the Games.

“There was more pressure definitely, but also more motivation. I hope I can keep on winning. I’m 30-years-old, it’s a good age and I’m very motivated to continue now with this gold in my bag.

“It feels good,” added Hug, who admitted that winning gold felt like a weight off his shoulders. “It was high pressure that I could make it. Now I have two days to relax and enjoy my time before I focus again on the marathon.”

Queen hails ‘magnificent’ Paralympians on homecoming

Courtesy of BBC

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he Queen has praised the performance of Britain’s Paralympics team at Rio 2016 as “magnificent” as the athletes returned to the UK on a special flight.

Parades to celebrate the country’s Olympic and Paralympic success have been confirmed for Manchester on 17 October and London a day later.

Paralympic medallists were welcomed by fans and family who met their flight at London Heathrow on Tuesday morning.

GB won 147 medals, 64 of them gold, at the Paralympics and 67 Olympic medals.

Those included 27 Olympic gold medals. Both teams broke their medal tallies from London four years ago, hit their 2016 targets, and finished second

in their medal tables.

As the Paralympics closed and athletes returned to their home countries, the Queen said: “I offer my warmest congratulations to the athletes of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and indeed to the athletes of all Commonwealth countries, for their many successes in Rio de Janeiro.

“The magnificent performance of Paralympics GB this year reflects the talent and commitment of the athletes and their support teams.

“I send my good wishes to all those who have contributed to the success of these memorable Games.”

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Benoit Huot tops list of 161 Canadian athletes named for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Courtesy of RIO 2016

Benoit Huot, 32, is the most successful Paralympian in the Canadian delegation for Rio 2016, with 19 medals.

Getty Images/Clive Rose

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he Canadian Paralympic Committee has announced the 162 athletes that will compete for the nation across 19 sports at the Rio 2016 Games. The highlights include swimmer Benoit Huot, his country’s most decorated Paralympian with 19 medals, and wheelchair basketball player Tracey

Ferguson, who will participate at a record seventh Paralympic Games.The team also includes athletes in the two sports that will make their Paralympic Games debut in Rio: triathlon (Sasha Boulton, Stefan Daniel, Chantal Givens and Christine Robbins) and canoe (Christine Gauthier and Erica Scarff).

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4 Paralympians ran the 1500m faster than the Olympic gold medalist

Photos, story courtesy 12 News. Getty images

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lgerian runner Fouad Baka finished the Paralympic Games T13 1500m final in 3:49.59 on Sunday. The Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz Jr. had a time of 3:50.00.

But Baka didn’t even medal in Rio. Three other visually impaired runners placed ahead of him, meaning they were faster than any of the Olympic runners.

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Baka’s brother Abdellatif Baka was the gold medalist with a time of 3:48.29.

Ethiopia’s Tamiru Demisse won silver with 3:48.59 and Kenya’s Henry Kirwa won bronze with 3:49.59.

Class T13 runners don’t require guides, like some of the athletes in the T11 and T12 categories.

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Three Time Marathon Grand Slam Winner Tatyana McFadden Wins First Paralympic Marathon Medal

The women’s T54 marathon resulted in a thrilling photo finish to determine the podium at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Photos and story courtesy of ww.teamusa.org.

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he excitement of the 2016 Paralympic Games culminated on the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday with a thrilling photo finish in the women’s marathon T54 as Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, Maryland) secured silver alongside U.S. teammate Amanda McGrory (Savoy, Illinois) with bronze. The U.S. finished with 42 medals in Rio, an increase of 14 from the London 2012 Games, with 16 gold, 15 silver and 11 bronze.

Amid rising temperatures into the mid80’s, it was a sprint to the finish after 26.2 miles as McFadden and China’s Lihong Zou crossed the finish line at the same Paralympic record time of 1:38.44. In the photo review, Zou’s front wheel edged McFadden’s to steal the gold.

“We pulled a majority of the marathon so I’m really happy to come away with a silver,” the 16-time Paralympic track & field medalist said. “I’ve worked really, really hard and it’s a great way to end the Games.”

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McFadden, who tied for the most medals won by a U.S. athlete in Rio with swimmer Jessica Long, raced to her sixth medal — four gold and two silver—of the Games with the beautiful backdrop of Copacabana beach as McGrory picked up her third — two silver, one bronze — i n Rio. “It’s been phenomenal,” McFadden said. “In London, I didn’t medal in the marathon because I had technical difficulties but here, it was great to come home with a silver.”

Three-time Paralympian McGrory was thrilled with her medal haul in Rio, matching her takeaway from the 2008 Games.

“I came out of the London Games really disappointed that I didn’t come home with a medal so I’ve spent the past four years preparing for this,” McGrory said. “I could not be happier with the result and today’s race. I couldn’t be happier with the whole week.”

Shirley Reilly (Tucson, Arizona) finished fifth while Susannah Scaroni (Urbana, Illinois) took seventh. Chelsea McClammer (Richland, Washington) did not finish the race.

In the men’s marathon T54, Aaron Pike (Park Rapids, Minnesota) was the only U.S. finisher in the event, grabbing the tenth

spot with a time of 1:30:13. Josh George (Herndon, Virginia) and James Senbeta (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) both dropped out just over midway in the race.

Visit USParalympics.org/Rio2016 for more information on Team USA at the Paralympic Games, including athlete bios, schedule and live streaming.

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Team USA Has Strongest Finish at Paralympic Games in Recent History

Left to right, Amanda McGrory, Tatyana McFadden and Chelsea McClammer swept the podium twice during Team USA’s 115-medal haul at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Photo courtesy of Getty Images, Courtesy of www.teamusa.org

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eam USA wrapped up the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, having completed its most successful performances at the Games in recent history. The team of 289 athletes won a total of 115 medals, and finished fourth in the overall medal count.

Below are some of the highlights of the outstanding U.S. athlete and team performances in Rio. • Team USA’s haul of 115 medals marks the most won by the U.S. team since the 1996 Games in Atlanta (158).

• The U.S. women won more than half of Team USA’s medals, with 70 medals, including 24 gold, 24 silver and 21 bronze.

• Most decorated athletes: For the U.S. women, Tatyana McFadden, track & field, and Jessica Long, swimming, both won six medals a piece. McFadden won four gold and two silver medals and Jessica Long won three silver medals, two bronze and a gold. In men’s competition, Brad Snyder, swimming, won the most U.S. 36

medals with three gold and a silver.

• Team USA swept the podium three times — in two different sports.

The track & field trio of Tatyana McFadden, Chelsea McClammer and Amanda McGrory claimed the top three spots in the T54 1,500 and 5,000-meter finals. In the debut of paratriathlon, Allysa Seely, Hailey Danisewicz and Melissa Stockwell swept the medals in the women’s PT2 classification.

• Grace Norman won gold in paratriathlon and bronze in track and field, with her two medal winning races coming less than 36 hours apart.

• U.S. athletes set a total of eight world records in Rio, six in the pool, with three of them made by Rebecca Meyers. The other two WRs were in track & field by athletes David Blair and Rachael Morrison.

• The U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team won the most ever medals at a Games, with a total of 18 podium finishes.

• Firsts in Rio • First time since 2004 that the men’s and women’s teams both reached the podium in goalball; the U.S. men won silver, while the women’s team brought home the bronze. Incidentally, both teams finished in the same spots on the podium back in 2004.

• It was the first time since 1996 that both the men’s and women’s teams reached the podium in basketball — both winning gold.

• The men’s win in basketball marked the first time since 1988 — or 28 years — that the U.S. men’s wheelchair basketball team won a gold medal.

• Military veteran athletes also made their presence known in Rio. The following military veterans, including one active duty service member, had performances in Rio that resulted in a total of 16 medals: • Army Sergeant Elizabeth Marks, swimming — gold, 100m breaststroke SB7; bronze, 4x100m medley relay — 34 pts.

• Army veteran Kari Miller, women’s sitting volleyball — gold.

• Army veteran Shawn Morelli, cycling — gold, 3000m individual pursuit C4; gold, time trial C4.

• Army veteran Scot Severn, track & field — silver, F53 shot put.

• Army veteran Melissa Stockwell, paratriathlon — bronze, women’s PT2.

• Marine Corps veteran Oz Sanchez, cycling — silver, mixed team relay H2; bronze, time trial H5.

• Navy veteran Will Groulx, cycling — gold, road race H2; silver, time trial H2; and silver, mixed team relay H2.

• Navy veteran Brad Snyder, swimming — gold, 50 free S11; gold, 100m free S11; gold, 100m free S11; and silver, 100m back S11.

• Navy veteran Andre Shelby, archery — gold, men’s individual compound open — By Beth Bourgeois

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Final Medal Count Total

Final FinalMedal MedalCount Count Total

People's Rep. of China 107 81 Great Britain 64 39 Ukraine 41 37 United States of America 40 44 Australia People's Rep. of China 22107 3081 Germany 1864 2539 Great Britain Netherlands 1841 1937 Ukraine Brazil United States of America 1440 2944 ItalyAustralia 1022 1430 Poland 9 18 1825 Germany Netherlands Spain 9 18 1419 Brazil France 9 14 5 29 Italy New Zealand 9 10 5 14 Poland Canada 8 9 1018 Spain Islamic Republic of Iran 8 9 9 14 France Uzbekistan 8 9 65 New Zealand 9 5 Nigeria 8 2 Canada 8 10 Cuba 8 1 Islamic Republic of Iran 8 9 Belarus 8 0 Uzbekistan 8 6 Republic of Korea 7 8 112 Nigeria Tunisia 7 8 61 Cuba South Africa 7 8 60 Belarus Thailand 6 7 6 11 Republic of Korea Tunisia Greece 5 7 46 South Africa Belgium 5 7 36 Thailand Slovakia 5 6 36 Greece Algeria 4 5 54 38

Belgium Slovakia Algeria

5 5 4

3 3 5

51 44 39 31 29 51 14 44 26 39 29 31 15 29 12 14 8 26 29 14 15 7 12 11 78 14 17 7 2 11 6 7 2 17 17 2 66 42 6 17 46 34 36 74 3 3 7

239 147 117 115 81 239 57 147 63 117 72 115 39 81 39 57 63 31 72 28 39 21 39 29 31 24 28 31 21 12 29 15 24 10 31 35 12 19 15 17 10 18 35 19 13 17 11 18 11 13 16 11 11 16

Final Medal Count Total

Ireland 4 Mexico 4 Egypt 3 Norway 3 Serbia People's Rep. of China 3 Morocco 3 Great Britain Turkey 3 Ukraine United States of America 3 Kenya Australia Malaysia 3 Germany Colombia 2 Netherlands United Arab Emirates 2 Iraq Brazil 2 Italy Hong Kong, China 2 Poland Croatia 2 Spain Switzerland 2 France IndiaNew Zealand 2 Lithuania 2 Canada Latvia Islamic Republic of Iran 2 Singapore 2 Uzbekistan Nigeria Hungary 1 Cuba Azerbaijan 1 Belarus Sweden 1 Republic of Korea Austria 1 Tunisia Czech Republic 1 South Africa Denmark 1 Thailand Namibia 1 Greece Argentina 1 Belgium Vietnam 1 Slovakia Finland 1 Algeria Trinidad and Tobago 1 Kazakhstan 1 Slovenia 1 Bahrain 1 Bulgaria 1 Georgia 1

4 2 5 3 107 2 81 64 2 39 41 1 37 40 1 44 22 0 30 18 5 25 18 4 19 14 3 29 10 14 2 9 18 2 9 14 2 9 5 9 15 8 1 10 8 09 8 06 8 82 8 81 8 40 7 4 11 7 26 7 26 6 6 2 5 4 1 5 3 5 13 4 15 1 1 1 0 0 0

3 11 9 15 4 12 3 9 4 51 9239 2 44 7147 5 39 9117 2 31 6115 1 29 481 14 17 57 10 1 26 763 0 29 572 15 39 2 6 12 39 1 5 8 31 1 14 528 1 7 421 0 11 329 2 7 424 1 17 331 12 9 2 18 6 15 2 11 10 6 2 11 17 4 935 4 6 719 4 4 717 6 18 2 5 4 13 3 3 511 2 3 411 1 7 316 1 3 0 2 2 0 0 Continued 1 on Page 40 39 0 1 0 1

Austria 1 4 Czech Republic 1 2 Denmark 1 2 Namibia 1 2 Argentina 1 1 Vietnam 1 1 Final Medal Count Final Medal Count Finland 1 1 Continued from Page 39 Trinidad and Tobago 1 1 Kazakhstan 1 1 Slovenia 1 1 Bahrain 1 0 Bulgaria 1 0 Georgia 1 0 Kuwait 1 0 People's Rep. of China 0 107 10 81 Japan Great Britain 64 Venezuela 0 339 Ukraine Jordan 0 41 237 United States of America 40 44 Qatar 0 2 Australia 22 30 Chinese Taipei 0 18 125 Germany Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 18 119 Netherlands CôteBrazil d’Ivoire 0 14 129 Ethiopia 0 10 114 Italy Uganda 0 9 118 Poland Spain Portugal 0 9 014 France Israel 0 9 05 New Zealand Mongolia 0 9 05 Canada Cape Verde 0 8 010 Islamic Republic of Iran 8 9 Indonesia 0 0 Uzbekistan 8 6 Saudi Arabia 0 8 02 Nigeria Mozambique 0 8 01 Cuba Pakistan 0 8 00 Belarus Philippines 0 7 011 Republic of Korea Tunisia Romania 0 7 06 South Africa Sri Lanka 0 7 06

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Thailand Greece Belgium Slovakia Algeria

6 5 5 5 4

6 4 3 3 5

4 4 4 2 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 14 344 139 31 0 29 114 026 029 015 012 48 314 27 111 7 1 17 12 16 12 117 16 14 6 4 3 3 7

9 7 7 5 5 4 3 3 Total 2 2 1 1 1 1 239 24 147 6 117 3 115 2 81 2 57 1 63 1 72 39 1 39 31 4 28 3 21 2 29 1 24 1 31 1 12 1 15 1 10 1 35 19 1 17 1 18 13 11 11 16

Rio Paralympics 2016: Memorable moments Kadeena Cox — Two Sports, Two Golds

Kadeena Cox with her 400m gold medal.

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hen Kadeena Cox declared her intention to compete in both cycling and athletics at the Rio Paralympics, many had their doubts.

How could the 25-year-old, a talented sprinter before a stroke in May 2014 led to multiple sclerosis, manage the demands of two elite sports, plus her condition?

Her mum thought she was crazy but Cox, who admits to being stubborn, would not be deterred, starting her quest with 100m bronze, switching to the velodrome where she set a new world record to win her 500m time trial and then moving back to the track for 400m gold and a relay silver.

She had the broadest smile imaginable on the medal podium, knowing her stubbornness had earned her a place in the Paralympic history books.

— By Elizabeth Hudson

Delight at Daniel Dias

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very Game — Paralympic or Olympic — needs home-grown heroes to excite and engage the host nation and no-one achieved that in Rio more than swimmer

Daniel Dias, who was born with no feet or hands.

He was already a superstar of Paralympic swimming, with 10 gold medals, but the organizers knew they needed more from him. When he pulled ahead on the breaststroke leg, we could barely believe what we were seeing. Our shrieks got louder on the final freestyle leg and there were tears when his victory in a new world record time was finally confirmed. Kindred, born with a form of cerebral palsy, strode into the interview area as calm as he always has done.

“You’ve just made women cry,” I said to him. He just laughed, modest as always.

— By Nick Hope Continued on Page 42

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Rio Paralympics 2016: Memorable moments Continued from Page 41

Dame Sarah Storey Rewrites the History Books

Dame Sarah and three-year-old Louisa

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ouisa Storey won’t forget her first Paralympics Games for a long time — her mum Sarah made sure of that. The three-year-old was in the crowd as Sarah became the most successful British female

Paralympian of all-time at the velodrome, when she won individual pursuit gold — her 12th across two sports. When Sarah came over to her family on her victory lap, the picture of mother and daughter was destined for the front page of the following day’s newspapers. The British record had been shared with Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and there was a warm embrace between the two women when Tanni interviewed Sarah on BBC Radio 5 live after she took the record.

Two further golds on the road mean Mike Kenny’s all-time British gold medal mark of 16 is within Storey’s reach. You wouldn’t bet against her beating it in Tokyo.

— By Elizabeth Hudson

Lee Pearson — Exemplifying Paralympic Spirit

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can’t think of a more effervescent character in the world of sport than ParalympicsGB flag-bearer Lee Pearson.

He’s a showman, who was born to perform and has a horse in Zion who’s every bit as unpredictable.

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Pearson’s ride once threw him off — breaking the athlete’s back in four places. “I forgave him,” he told me with a smile. Pearson, who was born with a condition called arthrogryposis, which makes the muscles in the arms and legs grow as scar tissue, celebrates his 11th Paralympic gold. However, such was the worry among British selectors about Zion’s temperament that Pearson — at that point a 10-time Paralympic champion — was not selected for the team event, something he took rather personally.

To see the pair defeat the defending champion and favorite Peppo Puch of Austria in the freestyle dressage event was a truly magical moment.

Rio Paralympics 2016: Closing ceremony tribute for Bahman Golbarnezhad

Story and photo courtesy of REUTERS.

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ahman Golbarnezhad died following a crash in the men’s C4-5 road race on Saturday.

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games were brought to a close inside a packed Maracana Stadium on Sunday evening.

Singers, dancers and fireworks lit up the iconic stadium before tributes were paid to Iranian cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad, who died on Saturday.

Sir Philip Craven, International Paralympic Committee president, said the movement was “united in grief.”

Referring to the success of the Games, Craven said the Rio Paralympics were “uniquely Brazilian and wondrous.”

Britain finished the Games with 147 medals, 64 of which were gold. They were second behind China, who claimed 107 golds and 239 in total.

Craven thanked organisers, athletes and spectators after passing the Paralympic flag to the governor of Tokyo, which hosts the next Games in 2020.

Craven was also warmly applauded when bestowing the Paralympic Order — his organisation’s highest honour — on the Brazilian city.

Standing alongside him, Carlos Nuzman, the president of Rio’s organising committee, was cheered when he exclaimed: “Mission accomplished.

Continued on Page 44

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Rio Paralympics 2016: Closing ceremony tribute for Bahman Golbarnezhad Continued from Page 43

“The Brazil we love so much has shown the world what it can do.

“This celebration started with a dream.

It was 20 years in the making. Many thought it was impossible. But not for Rio and Brazil.

“The impossible happened. Brazilians never give up.”

Photo courtesy of pluss55.

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Highlights of Paralympics closing ceremony Courtesy cbc.ca

Continued on Page 46

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Highlights of Paralympics closing ceremony Continued

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Highlights of Paralympics closing ceremony

Continued on Page 48

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Highlights of Paralympics closing ceremony Continued from Page 47

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We thank the following contributors for the stories, content, support and images: www.paralympic.org www.teamusa.org www.paralympics.org www.rio2016.com Olympics.nbcsports.com Disabledsportsusa.org NBC Sports Reuters Getty Images www.rio2016.com NBC Universal BBC News CNN CBC.CA US Paralympics

Friedemann Vogel/Getty Images Paul D. Bowker Brianna Tammaro Karen Patterson OIS IPC Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Bella Naija Alexandra Loureimo/Getty Images Clive Rose/Getty Images Beth Bourgeois Elizabeth Hudson Nick Hope Dottie Bailor Plus55

And so many more incredible supporters that made this possible.

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Resource Directory Adaptivemall.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Bed of Nails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 EaZyHold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 eSpecial Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 & 51 Family Choice Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 H.A.P.P.Y. simple solutions . . . . . . . . . 17

MediPal Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Mobility Lifter . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27 & 44 Mobility Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Reconnective Healing . . . . . . . . . . 1 & 52 ToileChic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 & 50

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