Paralympic Games Begin August 29 in London

Sixteen days after the Olympics, the 2012 Paralympics begins.

“Each of the 227 Americans named to the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Team are ready to captivate the world, on and off the field of play, just as our Olympians have,” United States Olympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun said. “Our Paralympians embody what it means to be an American. They will compete with the pride and honor that is inherent in representing the United States of America, inspiring Americans young and old with their stories of triumph.”

More than 4,000 athletes from 165 countries will compete in 21 separate sporting events including: archery, athletics, boccia, cycling road, cycling wheelchair, equestrian, football 5-a-side, football 7-a-side, goatball, judo, powerlifting, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.  A record 2.2 million tickets have been sold.

The Paralympic Games will be played in the Olympic Park in London and venues across the UK.  Download the Official London 2012 Join In mobile app.

If you can’t make it to London, you can watch the games on:

• The U.S. Paralympics YouTube channel is broadcasting ten daily highlights of the games, interviews with the athletes plus the Opening and Closing Ceremonies

• The NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will air one-hour highlight shows on Sept. 4, 5, 6 and 11 at 7 p.m. EDT. Following the Paralympic Games, on Sept. 16, NBC will broadcast a 90 minute special from 2-3:30 p.m. EDT. All NBC and NBC Sports Network Paralympic highlight shows and specials will re-air on Universal Sports Network and UniversalSports.com.

• Uninterrupted, live coverage will be aired on five channels on the International Paralympic Committee website www.paralympic.org

• Paralympic.org will broadcast more than 1,000 hours of sporting action

To learn more about the Paralympics, go to http://www.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics.aspx.

Photo Caption:

The Paralympic Symbol is painted red, blue and green – the three colors  most widely represented in national flags from around the world. The three Agitos (from the Latin meaning “I move”) encircling a central point symbolizes motion. The motto of the Paralympic is “Spirit in Motion.”