The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the Games of the Paralympiad, is a periodic series of international multi-sport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power, impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length difference, short stature, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment and intellectual impairment. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, are held almost immediately following the respective Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
The Republic of the Congo, competing as Congo, first participated at the Olympic Games in 1964, and has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then. Congo missed the 1968 Games and boycotted the 1976 Games along with most other African nations. Congo has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo first participated at the Olympic Games in 1968, when it was known as Congo Kinshasa. The nation's next Olympic appearance was sixteen years later in 1984, when it was known as Zaire. The nation has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, but has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games. By the 2000 Games, the nation was once again designated Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Afghanistan first competed at the Paralympic Games during the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, where it was represented by cyclists Gul Afzal and Zabet Khan.
Vanuatu first competed at the Summer Paralympic Games in 2000, sending two athletes to compete in javelin events. The country was absent from the 2004 Games, returning to the Paralympics in 2008. Vanuatu has never taken part in the Winter Paralympic Games, and no ni-Vanuatu athlete has ever won a Paralympic medal.
Heinz Frei is a Swiss wheelchair athlete. Frei has had a long career of racing, winning the London Marathon wheelchair race three times, and earning five medals at the 2003 European games at the age of 45. He has earned 15 gold medals at the summer and winter Paralympics and is a current world record holder in the marathon wheelchair race. He competed in athletics at every Summer Paralympic Games from 1984 to 2008, and at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics he competed in cycling, using a handcycle. At the Winter Paralympics, he competed in cross-country sit-skiing between 1984 and 2006 and in the biathlon in 1994.
Kyrgyzstan made its Paralympic Games début at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, and has competed in every edition of the Summer Paralympics since then - albeit with delegations consisting in no more than three athletes. Kyrgyzstan made its début at the Winter Paralympics in 2014 in Sochi.
Zambia made its Paralympic Games debut at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, with a single athlete competing in men's track and field. In 2000, Zambia had two representatives, once more in track and field. The country was absent from the 2004 Games, but sent one representative in 2008.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's ninth appearance at the Olympics since its debut in 1968, although four of its appearances were under the name "Zaire", and the first appearance was under the name "Congo Kinshasa".
The United States Virgin Islands made its Paralympic Games début at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, sending a single athlete to compete in two para-equestrian events.
The Gambia made its Paralympic Games début at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, sending two wheelchair athletes to compete in track events. The country was initially due to send two athletes to the 2008 Summer Games, but withdrew before the Games began.
Mozambique made its Paralympic Games début at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, sending two visually impaired athletes to compete in track events.
Athletics events at the 2016 Summer Paralympics were held in the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from September 2016. 177 events were held across both genders where 1,100 athletes competed. The athletics programme was the largest element of the Games programme in terms of entrants and medals awarded.
Kenya competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.
Somalia competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics nine times since the 1972 Games. The delegation consisted of a single middle-distance runner, Farhan Adawe, who qualified for the Games by meeting qualification standards in March 2016. He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and came ninth overall in his event, the men's 100 metres (T52), which led to his elimination from the Paralympics.
São Tomé and Príncipe competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics six times since the 1996 Games. The delegation consisted of a single short-distance runner Alex Anjos, who was chosen as São Tomé and Príncipe's flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Anjos was disqualified from the men's 100 metres (T47) for arriving late and failed to advance into the final of the men's 400 metres (T47) after failing to set a fast enough lap time.
The Republic of the Congo competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016. The country made its debut appearance in the Paralympics at Rio, though they had participated in eleven Summer Olympics prior to the opening of the 2016 Paralympics. They sent a single competitor, track and field athlete Bardy Bouesso. Bouesso was the flagbearer at the opening ceremony.
Aruba competed in the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics eight times since the 1988 Games. The delegation consisted of a single short-distance swimmer, Jesus De Marchena Acevedo, who qualified for the Games by using a wildcard. He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and was disqualified from the first discipline he took part in, men's 50 metres freestyle (S7), for arriving late but later placed last overall in the 100 metres freestyle (S7).
Malawi competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics ten times since the 1972 Games. The delegation consisted of a single middle-distance runner, Taonere Banda, who qualified for the games by using a wildcard. She was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and was disqualified from her event, the 1500 metres (T13), for moving outside her lane during her heat.
Republic of the Congo first competed at the Paralympic Games in 2016, at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, sending one wheelchair athletes to compete in track and field events. The Congo has never taken part in the Winter Paralympic Games, and no athlete from this country has ever won a Paralympic medal.
