Paralympics open in style

Thursday, 30 August 2012

A packed Olympic Stadium and millions more across the world watched as the 'spectacular and deeply human' opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games unfolded this morning.

Led by flag bearer and VIS wheelchair rugby player Greg Smith, a five-time Paralympian, the majority of Australia’s 161 athletes attended the ceremony in front of a capacity 80,000 crowd.

The Paralympics have started with an opening ceremony that looked to the skies, paying tribute to host Britain's achievements in understanding the universe - and its rainy weather.

The packed Olympic Stadium was filled with colourful, giant umbrellas, while wheelchair-bound physicist Stephen Hawking, urged people to take nothing for granted and to look to the stars for inspiration.

The show began with a spectacular flypast over the stadium as a plane, lit electric blue and trailing golden sparks from its wings, circled overhead, piloted by a war-wounded Afghanistan veteran.

That triggered a countdown to the start of the ceremony which was greeted with huge cheers in the east London venue.

Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 organising committee, said: 'Welcome to a city and a country transformed and transfixed by the joy and greatness of sport. We will provide a grand and global stage that will enable the athletes to inspire the world.'

The ceremony heralded the start of 11 days of elite sporting action featuring athletes from across the world and before sell-out crowds who have made this the most successful Paralympic Games in history.

The VIS would like to wish all athletes the best of luck for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.