#WaitForTheGreats: Para athletes go live on @Paralympics Instagram
IPC chats with 24 stars across the 22 summer sports in anticipation of next year’s Paralympics at Tokyo 2020 24 Aug 2020
Para athletes will own the spotlight on @Paralympics’ Instagram account throughout Tuesday (25 August), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) invites fans to tune in and get to know the stars for Tokyo 2020 next year.
Every hour, beginning at 7 a.m. CEST, the IPC will use the Instagram Live feature to chat with an athlete from 22 summer sports. The activity is part of the IPC’s #WaitForTheGreats campaign to showcase how Para athletes are determined than ever before to reach Tokyo 2020 in exactly one year’s time.
The athletes from around the world will log on and answer questions about their hopes and dreams for next year’s Games; update on how they have been staying motivated through the COVID-19 pandemic; questions sent from fans; and much more.
The day kicks off with Paralympic long jump champion Anna Grimaldi checking in from her home in New Zealand. Also joining the star-studded line-up are Iran’s Paralympic and Olympic archer Zahra Nemati; boccia world champion Greg Polychronidis from Greece; budding sprint talent and Rising Phoenix film star Ntando Mahlangu from South Africa; and Canada’s swimming sensation Aurelie Rivard.
The Instagram Live will then wrap up at 7 a.m. CEST with Mexican shooting Para sport athlete Dulce Licona.
#WaitForTheGreats: @Paralympics Instagram Live line-up
07:00 Anna Grimaldi – athletics - NZL
08:00 Emma Booth – equestrian - AUS
09:00 Seiya Norimatsu – wheelchair rugby – JPN (in Japanese)
10:00 Alison Yu Chui Yee – wheelchair fencing - HKG
11:00 Ni Nengah Widiasih – powerlifting – INA (in Indonesian)
12:00 Manasi Joshi – badminton - IND
13:00 Zahra Nemati – archery – IRI (in Persian)
14:00 Serhii Yemelianov – canoe – UKR (in Ukrainian)
15:00 Greg Polychronidis – boccia – GRE
16:00 Sherif Osman – powerlifting - EGY
17:00 Ntando Mahlangu – athletics - RSA
18:00 Elodie Lorandi – swimming – FRA (in French)
19:00 Tom Vanhove – goalball - BEL
20:00 Hector Catala – triathlon – ESP (in Spanish)
21:00 James Fox – rowing - GBR
22:00 Najwa Awane – wheelchair tennis – MAR (in French)
23:00 Gustavo Villafane - wheelchair basketball - ARG (in Spanish)
00:00 Ricardinho – blind football – BRA (in Portuguese)
01:00 Shauna-kay Hines – taekwondo - JAM
02:00 Nicky Nieves – sitting volleyball - USA
03:00 Diego Duenas – cycling – COL (in Spanish)
04:00 Aurelie Rivard – swimming – CAN
05:00 Naomi Soazo – judo – VEN (in Spanish)
06:00 Tamara Leonelli – table tennis – CHI (in Spanish)
07:00 Dulce Licona - shooting - MEX (in Spanish)
