PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS

Two gold medals weighing 75 grams will be presented at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony to two athletes, a male and a female who best exemplify the spirit of the games. This award is for Paralympians who not only achieve sporting excellence, but also exceptionally inspire and excite the world.

On 14 March, on the second day of competition of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, this year's inductees were welcomed to the Paralympic Hall of Fame, presented by Visa. Inductees included Cross-Country skier Tanja Kari (FIN), Alpine skier Chris Waddell (USA), and Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing coach Rolf Hettich (GER). The three inductees were nominated by member organizations of the IPC based on their athletic performance, history of fair play and participation in community service. Kari, Waddell and Hettich then were selected by the IPC's Governing Board.

Nearly 5,000 performers filled the stage at the BC Place in Vancouver, Canada, thrilling a sold-out stadium to start the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

In the final hours before the Paralympic Cauldron is lit at the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, a flame is lighting up the heart of Vancouver's downtown as it is carried by nearly 300 torchbearers who will share the message of inspiration, determination, courage and equality.

Whistler, Canada – The official Internet channel of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), ParalympicSport.TV, will be the best source for Canadians to get live coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

South African Swimmer Natalie Du Toit was recently named 2010 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability. The names of the winners were announced at a televised Awards Ceremony staged at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi which also celebrated the first ten years in the life of Laureus and was attended by global figures from the world of sport and entertainment.

The Paralympic torch relay made its first stop in Vancouver on Wednesday. The torch was escorted to Riley Park Community Centre by elders of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation from North Vancouver, B.C., where the torch was lit earlier Wednesday morning.

The first meeting of 2010 for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board (GB) took place today at the Paralympic Family Hotel in Whister, Canada.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will once again be seeing photographers Lieven Coudenys and Rob Prezioso at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

The Paralympic Flame saw its seventh day of the relay as it reached Lytton and Hope in British Columbia. Lytton is known for hiking and rafting, with trails that go through a variety of terrain and climate conditions. A total of 15 torchbearers were in Lytton, including Andrea Drynock, who at the age of 16 became an athlete in Swimming after losing her legs in a train accident.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) today officially celebrated the United Nations (UN) International Women’s Day for 2010 with a special event held at the Whistler Paralympic Village Plaza in Canada.

Today, the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay arrived in Whistler, igniting an exciting, free and family-focused community celebration featuring local and regional talent in Village Square from 15:00-18:00.

Trevor Greene, a former Canadian Forces reservist, and Paralympian Stephanie Dixon were amongst the Torch Bearers on 6 March, moving the Paralymic Flame on its fourth day through Canada, cheered by numerous fans in the streets.

On the fifth day of the Paralympic Torch Relay, the Paralympic Torch stopped in Squamish, the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.