PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
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.
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 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.