Paralympics flame lighted in Rio de Janeiro

The Paralympic flame was lighted Tuesday at a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on the eve of the the Paralympic Games’ inauguration.

The flame was lighted by five torches that had been carried to Brasilia and four other cities in different regions of the host country Belen, Natal, Sao Paulo and Joinville and a sixth that came from the British city of Stoke Mandeville, cradle of the Paralympic movement.

The President of the International Paralympic Committee, Philip Craven, said that for the athletes, the Games are not just the result of four years of training but are the result of an entire life of love and dedication to sports.

The flamelighting ceremony was held at the Museum of Tomorrow and was followed Tuesday by the Paralympic torch relay that was run around some of the Brazilian city’s iconic tourist attractions like the Christ the Redeemer monument.

The Paralympic Games get started this Wednesday with a ceremony at Maracana Stadium and the competitions will continue until Sept. 18.