PARALYMPIC AND PARA SPORTS NEWS
![A woman lifting a bar on a bench press competition](/sites/default/files/2021-03/GettyImages-1305731864.jpg)
Bertha Fernandez causes upset as hosts dominate Bogota World Cup
One of Colombia's six gold medallists in season's opening event, Lima 2019 champion highlights female participation growth in the sport
![A female cross-country standing skier with a bandana with the Ukrainian flag competing in the snow](/sites/default/files/2021-03/Cross-country%20Kononova%20Slovenia.jpg)
Ukraine’s female skiers undefeated in standing races in Slovenia
Liashenko, Kononova and Batenkova-Bauman sweep medals in three World Cup Para cross-country events at Planica & Kranjska Gora
![Tokyo 2020 mascots](/sites/default/files/2021-07/Tokyo%202020%20mascots.jpg)
Record number of female competitors at Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
Tokyo 2020 first ever gender-balanced Olympic Games in history
![A men without the left arm shooting with a rifle during a Para biathlon competition](/sites/default/files/2021-03/51011660856_13537c0ee2_h.jpg)
Lekomtsev, Liashenko and Masters make it three out of three in Slovenia
Russian, Ukrainian and USA athletes take third gold medal at the first day of Para biathlon races in season's World Cup opener
![A man holding his hands on a bench press during a powerlifting competition](/sites/default/files/2021-03/GettyImages-1305712528.jpg)
Past disappointments fuel Juan Carlos Garrido from Bogota to Tokyo
Chilean powerlifter in search of his best form to achieve the dream of the first Paralympic medal in Japan
![Para ice hockey pioneers Brit Oeyen and Lena Schoeder cross paths](/sites/default/files/styles/video_crop_16_9/public/oembed_thumbnails/h3bDBnBNdx-VUvLiVFBniy5o28JBsIEaDK8eKqqMmMM.jpg?itok=qz3bEdmm)
Norway’s female Para ice hockey pioneers Oeyen and Schroeder cross paths
Lena Schroeder made history as the first female Para ice hockey player at a Paralympic Winter Games since Brit Mjaasund Oeyen in 1994. The two legends met face-to-face for the first time.
![male Para Nordic skier Cristian Ribera](/sites/default/files/images/190315133143089_Cristian-Ribera-PyeongChang.jpg)
Cristian Ribera on a mission to make more history for Brazil at Beijing 2022
Best Brazilian athlete in Winter Paralympic history aims for a medal at the next Games
![Female Korean sit skier competing](/sites/default/files/2021-03/vo-ra-mi-seo.jpg)
South Korea's Vo Ra Mi Seo hopes to show beauty of disability
“I forged this path, so I want to take a responsibility until I can hand over my position to the next generation”
![Rita Van Driel speaking](/sites/default/files/2021-03/Rita-Van-Driel.jpg)
Rita Van Driel participates in UN Human Rights Council session
IPC Governing Board Member joined the annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities as part of new partnership with UN Human Rights
![Male alpine skier with left leg impairment competes in slalom](/sites/default/files/2021-03/Hilmar-Orvarsson.jpg)
Para alpine skier Hilmar Orvarsson blazing path for Iceland at Winter Games
Slalom specialist in prime form to reach national milestone at Beijing 2022