Tokyo Paralympics Opening Ceremony

Alike the Tokyo Olympics, the Tokyo Paralympics will be the fifth games on this blog featuring both and today saw the Opening Ceremony take place. The ceremony opened with a Para Airport and the theme of Wings. An amazing montage of the events to come in the games combining to form the tricolour Paralympic logo. 

The stage featured an array of airport style dancers with a countdown leading to a huge firework display atop the stadium. Next up was the welcome from the host, Emperor Naruhito and Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee with the entry of the Japanese flag to the arena. A slight error in the raising with the flag incorrectly raised facing vertically rather than the traditional horizontal. 

The Airport stage moved to the Parade of Athletes with Paralympics GB's flag bearers being swimmer Ellie Simonds and archer John Stubbs representing a total of 219 athletes. The parade culminated with the hosts Japan who boast a total of 254 athletes. 

The arena lit up with colour in the theme of the Colours of the World with the Wings returning as the theme of the performances on stage. A wheel-plane impaired with one wing entered the main stage leading to a quirky dance sequence and later on, the traditional speeches to welcome in the games. The Paralympic flag was brought into the arena and raised alongside the corrected Japanese flag accompanied by the Paralympic anthem. 

Following this was the oaths taken by officials and athletes before the return of the Airport theme with the wheel-plane 'taking' flight and displaying the phrase- WE HAVE WINGS. 

The ceremony reached its final stages with the lighting of the cauldron which looked amazing as seen in the adjacent image. A huge firework display atop the ceremony lit up the Tokyo sky as the ceremony came to an end. 

Here's to 12  amazing days of action which begin in a few hours with Day ONE.