The 2016 Paralympic Games start today, September 7, in Rio de Janeiro, with 12 athletes representing Romania. The Paralympics will end on September 18.

More than 4,300 athletes from 176 countries will compete in the Paralympic Games, in 23 sports. Romania’s athletes will compete in athletics, paracanoe, cycling, swimming, judo, table tennis, and triathlon contests.

Florentina Hriscu and Florin Cojoc are Romania’s representatives in athletics, Mihaela Lulea and Iulian Serban – paracanoe, Eduard Novak and Attila Olah – cycling, Alexandru Bologa – judo, Naomi Ciorap and Samuel Ciorap – swimming, and Dacian Makszin and Bobi Simion – table tennis.

Cyclist Eduard Carol Novak, the only Paralympic champion in Romania’s history, will carry the Romanian flag at the opening ceremony. He won the three medals Romania has from its six Paralympic Games (since Heidelberg 1972). After winning the silver at Beijing 2008, he did better at London 2012, taking home a gold and another silver.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Comitetul National Paralimpic on Facebook)