Parapan American Games Opening Ceremony Lights Up Guadalajara

The 2011 Parapan American Games are now officially open after a stunning Opening Ceremony at the Telmex Athletics Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico on Saturday (12 November) evening.

Around 1,500 athletes from the 24 competing countries attended the Ceremony together with dignitaries including International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven.

The Opening Ceremony was a celebration of the rich cultural history of Guadalajara and Jalisco, and also included a rock and pop concert featuring contemporary music. Three speeches marked the Opening of the Games and were delivered by Imelda Guzman, the President of the Organizing Committee for the Parapan Games, Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) President Octavio Londoño and Mexico’s Federal Director of Sports, Bernardo de la Garza, who had the honour of declaring the Games open.

The 2011 Parapan American Games is the last multi-sport event before the London 2012 Paralympic Games and will feature 13 sports. Fir the first time, para-athletes with an intellectual disability will compete at the Games.

Competitions gets underway in seven sports on Sunday when there will be 15 gold medals contested.

For the latest results, please visit https://parapan.guadalajara2011.org.mx