2016 Summer Paralympics torch relay

Last updated
XV Paralympic Games
Rio 2016 Paralympic Torch Relay Emblem.svg
Host city Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Countries visitedBrazil
Start dateSeptember 1, 2016
End dateSeptember 7, 2016

The 2016 Summer Paralympics Torch Relay was a 7-day event leading up to the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. It began on September 1, 2016, in Brasilia and concluded at the Games' opening ceremony on September 7. The Paralympic torch relay began with five individual flames being relayed to a city in each of the five regions of Brazil. These flames, as well as a sixth flame lit in Stoke Mandeville, Great Britain, were united to form a single Paralympic flame, which was relayed through Rio on 6 and 7 September 2016 en route to its lighting at the Maracanã during the opening ceremony. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The Torch

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Torch was unveiled on December 13, 2015. It was created from the same design concept as the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch, which celebrates the essence of Rio 2016—passion and transformation. The torch is able to open and close. When closed, the Olympic and Paralympic torches look the same, demonstrating the equality of the two torches, and when opened, the character of the torches reveal themselves.

According to Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman, "The Paralympic Torch’s sinuous curves represent the highs and lows in the life of a Paralympic athlete, celebrating their determination and achievements. Its quadrangular shape refers to the four Paralympic values – courage, determination, inspiration and equality – which are also written in Braille on the torch, along with the words 'Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Torch Relay.'"

During the relay, when the flame is passed from one torchbearer to another its segments open upwards, symbolizing a person's body stretching its boundaries. The segments come from the elements of the Brazilian flair and the host city's nature represent with the different colors, but these colors were different and more warmer, symbolizing the joy and warmth typical to the Brazilian people. The Paralympic Torch’s sinuous curves represent the highs and lows in the life of a Paralympic athlete, celebrating their determination and achievements. The quadrangular shape refers to the four Paralympic values – courage, determination, inspiration and equality – which are also written in Braille on the torch, along with the words “Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Torch Relay.”. Like the Olympic torch, the curves had colors that meant the values of this edition of the Games, The orange represents the courage of the Paralympic athletes, red represents the determination and the warmth and welcome of the Brazilian people. The purple represented the inspiration created by the Paralympic sport and also the expectations created in the country with the event and what the event could accomplish in Brazilian society. The dark blue represented equality, emphasized in the current Brazilian Constitution that has existed since 1988, and in the holding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the same city and in equal conditions since that year. The shape of the segments represents the esplanades (Calçadão in Portuguese) of the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. The axis of the torch expresses unity and diversity. [4]

Relay

Locations

Brazil location map.svg
Cities visited in the 2016 Summer Paralympics Torch Relay:

Each city that the relay included celebrated a different Paralympic and Rio 2016 value: in Brasília, it was equality; in Belém, determination; in Natal, inspiration; in São Paulo, transformation; in Joinville, courage; and in Rio de Janeiro, passion. [5]

Heritage Ceremony

On September 2, 2016, Stoke Mandeville, Great Britain, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement, held a ceremony for the lighting of the Heritage Flame. The flame was combined with the five Brazilian flames in Rio de Janeiro on September 6, which formed the Rio 2016 Paralympic flame. [4]

End of the relay

After the Paralympic flame was created, it was then carried around Rio from September 6 to September 7. On the day of the opening ceremony, 1984 Paralympic gold medalist Marcia Malsar was carrying the torch at the Maracana Stadium when she slipped and fell on the rain-covered floor. Once she recovered from the fall, she smiled, waved at the audience, and handed off the torch. Clodoaldo Silva was the last torchbearer, and lit the cauldron. [6]

Related Research Articles

The Olympic flame is a symbol used in the Olympic movement. It is also a symbol of continuity between ancient and modern games. Several months before the Olympic Games, the Olympic flame is lit at Olympia, Greece. This ceremony starts the Olympic torch relay, which formally ends with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. The flame then continues to burn in the cauldron for the duration of the Games, until it is extinguished during the Olympic closing ceremony.

2000 Summer Paralympics 2000 edition of the Summer Paralympics

The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 to 29 October. In September 1993, Sydney won the rights to host the 2000 Paralympic Games. To secure this right it was expected that the New South Wales Government would underwrite the budget for the games. The Sydney games were the 11th Summer Paralympic Games, where an estimated 3,800 athletes took part in the programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000. It was followed by the 11 days of fierce international competition and was the second largest sporting event ever held in Australia. They were also the first Paralympic Games outside the Northern Hemisphere.

2016 Summer Olympics Games of the XXXI Olympiad, held in Rio de Janeiro in 2016

The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad and commonly known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events in some sports beginning on 3 August. Rio was announced as the host city at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 2 October 2009.

2007 Pan American Games

The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in 47 disciplines. During the Games, 95 new Pan American records were set; 2,196 medals were awarded; 1,262 doping control tests were performed and about 15,000 volunteers participated in the organization of the event, which was an Olympic qualification for 13 International Federations (IFs).

Paralympic symbols

The Paralympic symbols are the icons, flags, and symbols used by the International Paralympic Committee to promote the Paralympic Games.

2016 Summer Paralympics

The 2016 Summer Paralympics, the 15th Summer Paralympic Games, were a major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. The Games marked the first time a Latin American and South American city hosted the event, the second Southern Hemisphere city and nation, the first one being the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, and also the first time a Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) country hosted the event. These Games saw the introduction of two new sports to the Paralympic program: canoeing and the paratriathlon.

Clodoaldo Silva Brazilian Paralympic swimmer

Clodoaldo Silva is a Brazilian swimmer. He competed at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, winning three silver medals and one bronze. He competed again at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, where he set four world records, five Paralympic records, and won six gold medals and one silver. He also represented Brazil at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Paralympics, and lit the Paralympic cauldron at the 2016 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony.

Venues of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics

The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the "Games of the XXXI Olympiad", was an international multi-sport event held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to August 21, 2016.

2010 Winter Paralympics torch relay

The 2010 Winter Paralympics Torch Relay was a 10-day event leading up to the 2010 Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver. It began on March 3, 2010, in Ottawa and concluded at the Games' opening ceremony on March 12. Held entirely within Canada, the host country, it has been described by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as "an important event to connect Canadians to the Games", by "demonstrating the fire inside each individual and how it inspires others".

2012 Summer Olympics torch relay

The 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from 19 May until 27 July, prior to the London 2012 Summer Olympics. The torch bearer selection process was announced on 18 May 2011.

2012 Summer Paralympics torch relay

The 2012 Summer Paralympics torch relay ran from 22 to 29 August 2012, prior to the 2012 Summer Paralympics. The relay began with four flames kindled on the highest peaks of the four nations of the United Kingdom, which were then brought to their respective capital cities for special events honouring the upcoming Games. For the relay proper, the four national flames were united at a ceremony in Stoke Mandeville in preparation for a final 92-mile (148-kilometre) journey to London.

2016 Summer Olympics torch relay

The 2016 Summer Olympics torch relay which ran from 21 April until 5 August 2016. After being lit in Olympia, Greece, the torch traveled to Athens on the 27 April. The Brazilian leg began in the capital, Brasília, and ended in Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã Stadium, the main venue of the 2016 Olympics. After having visited more than 300 Brazilian cities, including all 26 state capitals and the Federal District. The end of the relay was the closing to the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics took place on the evening of Friday 5 August 2016 in the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, starting at 20:00 BRT. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings combined the formal ceremonial opening of this international sporting event with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation's culture and history. The Games were officially opened by Acting President of Brazil Michel Temer.

2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony

The closing ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics was held on 21 August 2016 from 20:00 to 22:50 BRT at the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

2020 Summer Olympics torch relay

The 2020 Summer Olympics torch relay was held from 12 March 2020 and ended on 23 July 2021. After being lit in Olympia, Greece, the torch was handed over to the Olympic shooting champion Anna Korakaki, who became the first woman to be first Olympic torchbearer. It was then transported to Athens on 19 March by official airliner Japan Airlines. The Japanese leg began in Fukushima, and is scheduled to end in Tokyo's New National Stadium, the main venue of the 2020 Olympics. It makes a tour of Japanese cities, including all 47 prefectural capitals. The torch is even scheduled to go to two remote island groups which are part of Tokyo. The end of the relay was the finale of the 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony on 23 July 2021. Toyota, NTT, ENEOS, Nippon Life, JAL, ANA and Japan Post Holdings are the presenting partners of the relay, with the slogan being "Hope Lights Our Way".

Haiti at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Sporting event delegation

Haiti sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its third appearance at the quadrennial event and its delegation consisted of one shot put thrower Jean Indris Santerre, who qualified for the games by being issued a wild card from the International Paralympic Committee after being unable to qualify on merit. He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Santerre did not start the final of the men's F57 shot put competition held at the Maracanã Stadium on 17 September for unknown reasons.

2016 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Paralympics took place on the evening of 7 September 2016 at the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, starting at 18:30 BRT.

2016 Summer Paralympics closing ceremony

The closing ceremony of the 2016 Summer Paralympics was held at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 18 September 2016.

2019 Parapan American Games International multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities

The 2019 Parapan American Games, officially the VI Pan American Games and commonly known as the Lima 2019 ParaPan-Am Games, was an international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, celebrated in the tradition of the Parapan American Games as governed by the Americas Paralympic Committee was held from August 23 to September 1, 2019 in Lima, Peru.

2007 Pan American Games torch relay 39-day torch run, from June 5 to July 13, 2007

The 2007 Pan American Games torch relay was a 39-day torch run, from June 5 to July 13, 2007, held prior to the 2007 Pan American Games. On June 4, the torch was lit at the torch lighting ceremony in Teotihuacán, Mexico. The flame was then taken by a Brazilian Air Force craft to Santa Cruz Cabrália, Bahia, Brazil, where the torch relay began.

References

  1. "Rio 2016 reveals first details of Paralympic Torch Relay as part of 500 days to Games celebrations". Rio Organizing Committee. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  2. "Com medalhistas e inspiração, tocha paralímpica inicia caminho até o Rio - paralimpíadas - ge". Globoesporte.globo.com.
  3. "International Paralympic Committee Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Paralympic.org. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Rio 2016 unveils Paralympic Torch". Rio 2016. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  5. "Rio 2016 Paralympic Torch tours Natal". Rio 2016. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  6. Dave Quinn (8 September 2016). "Torch-Carrying Gold Medalist Defines Paralympic Spirit by Picking Herself Up After Falling During Opening Ceremony". People Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2019.