Beijing 2008

Introduction

Games Summary: 2008 Summer Paralympic Games – Beijing (September 6 – 17)

The Beijing Games ended a period of record-breaking competition and events. All sports were held at the venues in the Chinese capital of Beijing, with the exception of sailing and equestrian, held in the cities of Qingdao and Hong Kong, respectively. The Opening and Closing Ceremony were sold out events, in addition to all swimming events and most of the events in athletics. The Paralympic Torch Lighting took place at the Temple of Heaven. During the ten days, a total of 850 Torchbearers took part in the Torch Relay and the route included historic sites of “Ancient China” and visited “Modern China.”

Beijing in numbers

Number of Athletes

3951

Number of officials & representatives

2500

Number of NPCs

146

First time participating countries

Burundi, Gabon, Georgia, Haiti & Montenegro

Number of sports

20 (Archery, Athletics, Boccia, Cycling, Equestrian, Football 5-a-Side, Football 7-a-Side, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Volleyball (Sitting), Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Tennis)

Number of events

472 (262 for men ; 176 for women & 34 mixed)

Number of new World & Paralympic records

279 World records & 339 Paralympic records

Disability Groups

Spinal Injury, Amputee, Visually Impaired, Cerebral Palsy & Les Autres

Number of media

5600

Number of rightsholders

64 covering more than 80 countries *Largest number of rightsholding broadcasters in the history of Paralympic Games

Broadcaster with the most number of hours

China’s CCTV and BTV with more than 22 hours daily 

Number of volunteers

30 000

Tickets sold

1.82 million + 1.62 million provided to children, education and community groups

Number of torchbearers

850

Logo

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Slogan

One World One Dream

Emblem

Sky, Earth and Human Beings

Mascot

Fu Niu Lele (The cow design was inspired by the farming cultivation culture of ancient Chinese civilization. It was adopted to show the undying spirit of the athletes with a disability.)

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Source: International Paralympic Committee Website