Ola and bem vinda to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the opening ceremony for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Following on from the success of the Olympics, it is now the turn of the para-athletes to take centre stage over the next 11 days as more than 4,000 competitors from 173 countries do battle in 22 different sports.
It all kicks off at the Maracana Stadium this evening as the 15th summer Paralympic Games are officially opened.
Make sure you don't miss a moment of the celebrations courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates live from inside the stadium.
Ola and bem vinda to Sports Mole's coverage of the 2016 Paralympic Games. We're 100% live from inside the Maracana (not the Macarena, pop fans) in Rio de Janeiro and there's one hour to go until the opening ceremony gets underway.
Look, here's proof! Isn't it pretty?
Bom dia from the world-famous Maracana! We're in place for the opening ceremony of the #Paralympics #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/JCVXLG1CFh
— Sports Mole (@SportsMole) September 7, 2016
It's been 17 days since the Olympics proper ended in this very stadium, after a fortnight of competition that saw Team GB claim a record medal haul for a non-London Games. The likes of Adam Peaty, Jack Laugher, Max Whitlock, Laura Trott, Jade Jones and Nicola Adams all shone last month, but now it's over to the 264-strong ParalympicsGB team to build on their success.
The bar has been set high this time: at London 2012, Paralympics GB picked up 120 medals - including 34 golds - for their best haul since Sydney 2000 (131 medals, 41 golds). UK Sport has set a target of 121 medals from a team that have picked up 43 World Championships golds between them.
The youngest member of ParalympicsGB is visually-impaired swimmer Abby Kane, who only turned 13 in August, while the oldest is 67-year-old equestrian rider Anne Dunham, competing at her fourth Games. Dame Sarah Storey is the most decorated member of the delegation, having amassed 11 golds, eight silvers and three bronze medals in swimming and cycling since she made her debut at Barcelona 1992. That makes Rio her seventh Games, a feat only matched by basketballer Simon Munn from the current team.
ParalympicsGB's flagbearer tonight is equestrian rider Lee Pearson, who has 12 medals - including ten golds - from the last four games, and is chasing Tanni Grey-Thompson and Sarah Storey's haul of 11 golds to become GB's most successful Paralympian of the modern era.
© onEdition
The build-up to the Paralympics has been met with numerous concerns and controversies in what has been described as the "biggest crisis" to blight the Paralympics since their formal inception in 1960.
Chiefly, the Games have been affected by severe budget cuts. At one point it looked as if some countries may not even be able to attend after promised travel grants did not arrive on time (thankfully, those issues were resolved and all 173 delegations are able to attend the Games).
Most of the cuts have come in the form of transport provided to those attending the Games in a work capacity, with virtually all of the media transportation services cut completely. A number of media centres have also been closed down, while the wheelchair fencing competition was switched to another venue and the Deodoro Olympic Park was completely shut down.
Ticketing has also been a major concern for the Rio Paralympics - with reports last month claiming that just 12% of tickets had been sold amid a lack of interest from the local population. Organisers responded by cutting the cost of some tickets to as little as R$10 - around £2.50 - and scaling back venues to reduce the number of available tickets from 3 million to 2.5 million.
As of last Sunday, the number of tickets sold has soared to 1.5 million, with a spokesman suggesting that "the rhythm of sales" would mean that all tickets will eventually be sold out. Tonight's opening ceremony had 55,000 tickets available and fewer than 1,000 were available as sales began earlier today.
Like the Olympics proper, Russian doping allegations have also marred the buildup to the Paralympics. However unlike the Olympics proper, where individual sport federations decided whether Russian athletes could compete, at the Paralympics the country's entire delegation of athletes has been banned from participating by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Russian president Vladimir 'don't call me Shirley' Putin has instead decided to hold a Russian-only version of the Paralympics.
Even ParalympicsGB has found itself caught up in controversy, with reports claiming that the classification of some athletes' disabilities had been "manipulated" in order to boost medal chances. British Paralympics Association chief Tim Hollingsworth has strongly denied those allegations, insisting that GB is operating "within both the letter and the spirit of the Paralympics".
The Games are being held against a backdrop of a country in general economic and political crisis. Brazil is in its worst recession in three decades, unemployment is at around 10% and inflation has risen to a 12-year high of 10.7%. Meanwhile, a number of senior politicians have been dogged by allegations of high-level corruption and the president - Dilma Rousseff - was impeached for violating budgetary regulations.
Ironically, she left her presidential residence earlier today, September 7, aka Brazil's independence day. The acting president of Brazil, Michel Temer, is expected to formally open up the Games later tonight in her stead. You might remember him, he was the bloke that got booed doing the same thing at the Olympics opening ceremony (spoiler: he's probably not going to get a better reception tonight).
Another thorn in the side of Rio 2016 has been the ongoing fear of the Zika virus. Men infected with Zika can transfer the virus to their partners through sexual activity - with potentially life-threatening consequences for a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Many athletes decided to stay away from Rio because of the threat of the virus while a record number of condoms have been distributed to those who have decided to compete.
But enough of the negativity, let's focus on the positives. As those who followed along in London 2012 will know all too well, the Paralympics truly do capture the spirit of what it is to inspire and you can be guaranteed that over the next eleven days we'll be witness to some truly breathtaking feats of human achievement. See? Positive.
As mentioned, 173 delegations will be competing at the Paralympics, including a two-strong team of refugee athletes who will be competing under the general Paralympic flag. They are swimmer Ibrahim Al Hussein of Syria and Shahrad Nasajpour of Iran. There's also a Paralympic debut for Kosovo following its official recognition by the IPC.
Some 22 sports will be featured at the Games, including old favourites Goalball, Boccia and wheelchair rugby. There will also be two new sports, added since 2012 - Paratriathlon and Paracanoeing. ParalympicsGB have qualified more athletes than any other nation for the triathlon event, as well as the maximum quota of six athletes for the canoeing.
There is not long to go now until the ceremony gets underway, so allow me to take this moment to introduce you to the hitherto-unsung hero of the Paralympics. Please meet 'Tom', the official Paralympics mascot, who is apparently an ode to Brazilian plant life.
Not long now until we get to meet Tom - the #Paralympic mascot for #Rio2016. #43daystogo #countdown pic.twitter.com/0cskCE08D2 — Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) July 26, 2016
TOM TRIVIA! Tom uses his buoyant red and yellow antennae to express his feelings. These antennae are pretty flexible - they can point in the direction he's going, make a V for victory sign and even create a heart shape when his picture is being taken. Dunno about you, but Tom sounds like a bit of a legend to me.
In the UK, coverage of the Paralympics will be airing on Channel 4 with a presenting team led by the omnipotent Clare 'honestly, I'm not' Balding. Fans of Breaking Bad will also spot a familiar face among the presenters as RJ Mitte - aka Walt Junior - joins the team. And guess what? That's a completely unintentional opportunity for me to plug Sports Mole's interview with the man himself, which you can read here.
© Channel 4
So what can we expect tonight, then? Well frustratingly, I'm not allowed to tell you anything just yet under a "legal embargo" but I can fill you in on rumours that have been doing the rounds in recent weeks. Just as the Olympics opening was done on a shoestring budget, the Paralympics equivalent is similarly financially-challenged. The theme is "Everybody has a heart" and director Marcelo Rubens Paiva has promised that it will "evoke emotion, laughs and tears".
Among the confirmed performers tonight is US Paralympic snowboarder - and most recently of Dancing With The Stars - Amy Purdy, who will perform a samba routine with "a surprise partner". Any guesses? I'm going for Sepp Blatter. The people's choice. One person we know who won't be present tonight is IOC president Thomas Bach, who has decided to miss the opening ceremony to attend the funeral of former West Germany president Walter Scheel. He'll be kicking himself for missing the Sepp-samba, I'm sure.
Just like you can count on Game of Thrones for dragons and breasts, there are two things you can count on at an Olympics or a Paralympics ceremony: flags and fireworks. And we're bound to be satisfied on both scores tonight.
TOM TRIVIA! How many Toms does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one Tom and in fact he can change EIGHT lightbulbs at once, "just by pulling an octopus from his hair". IS THERE NOTHING TOM CANNOT DO?!
The Maracana has been filling up nicely for the last hour or so now and I'm pleased to report that we're pretty much at full capacity. The warm-up entertainment for the crowd has included - who else? - Tom, who has been performing what can only be described as slick-ass dance moves to a variety of musical genres.
The lights are dimmed as a countdown clock plays out on the big screens. There isn't much down on the main floor itself just yet, save for a ring of chairs and a piano. HMMM....
TOM TRIVIA! We are almost set to begin here in the Maracana but before we do, there's just enough time for one last piece of Tom Trivia. Did you know that Tom is almost never seen eating? Apparently, when he needs energy, he simply "transforms sunlight into nutrients". That is a Jesus-like ability, people.
Well, with a couple of minutes to go, here is the point that I hand you over to the funniest man I know - and for context, I once encountered Richard Ayoade at a hospital urinal. It is of course the incomparable Barney Corkhill, who's here to take you through the rest of the proceedings this evening. Over to you, Barney...
Obligado boss. The 10-minute countdown inside the stadium comes to a head with a cacophony of noise and cheers from those inside the stadium here in Rio, and we will begin with an opening video starring IPC president Sir Philip Craven...
The president, who is also a former wheelchair basketball athlete, begins by heading on his trip to Rio from Stoke Mandeville - the effective birthplace of the Paralympic Games. From Stoke to the feet of Christ the Redeemer in a matter of minutes.
...and suddenly he appears in the stadium! The IPC president is among the fans as the spotlights pan to him, and he is given a huge reception inside the Maracana. He begins the 10-second countdown to the start of the ceremony, although some of the 15-metre high numbers are not coming down as they are meant to.
Not that anyone cares. The phenomenal Aaron Wheelz storms down a 17-metre ramp from the top of the Maracana and does an incredible flip to officially begin the ceremony. Cue the fireworks, and a quite spectacular opening to this ceremony.
That concludes the first of the 10 sections of this ceremony, which range in duration from that four-minute 'welcome' segment to the long and arduous parade of nations.
The next segment is the 'Extraordinary Invention' part, with the wheel acting as the universal icon of such in human history. Seven-year old Pedrinho comes out playing percussion, and is joined in a circle of musicians playing the Brazilian samba as an inordinate number of wheels - of all shapes and sizes - make their way around the outside. They sure love the wheel here.
A total of 88 people are involved in moving around the 402 wheels before the section reverts back to the beginning - seven-year-old Pedrinho playing the drum. The little man gives a huge ovation as his performance comes to an end.
Another round of applause for Sir Philip Craven, who has just taken his place amongst the delegates right in front of us.
Yet another Maracana roar greets the arrival of Daniel Dias onto the scene - a true Brazilian sporting legend. The swimmer is depicted diving for medals, as if he doesn't already have enough. Dias boasts 15 Paralympic medals in total, including 10 golds, and could become the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympics at these Games.
I am lucky enough to say from personal experience that the beaches in Rio are as good as you would have heard, and this 'Carioca Nation' is paying tribute to the city's famous shores. The waves of the Copacabana and Ipanema have spawned surfing legends such as Ricardo Bocao and Rico de Souza, who appear alongside nine-year-old para-athlete swimmer Davizinho here.
The numerous sunbathers are disrupted by the 'mate' vendors, who sell beverages on the beaches here, although their aluminium dispensers then turn into drums and they join the party.There are 400 people and 330 parasols out on the Maracana floor at the moment, and each one of them is making me yearn for the Copacabana.
The beach-goers and party people all turn towards the sun - a big yellow ball inside the stadium - applauding Rio's famous sunset while continuing to enjoy themselves. This Brazilian lifestyle looks like a winner.
Darkness descends on the Maracana...
...and from it emerges Rosane Miccolis carrying the Brazilian flag, which will shortly be raised by firefighters from the Copacabana area. We will also have a national anthem to accompany it, and expect it to be belted out by 55,000 passionate Brazilians.
All rise please...
OK, so maybe I was expecting too much for it to be belted out. Joao Carlos Martins plays it slow and emotionally on a grand piano in the stadium, while 330 canvas and paper parasols combine to form the Brazilian flag, in all of its glorious green, gold and blue.
The real flag waves triumphantly in the wind as it is hoisted up, and the spectators save their noise for the end of the anthem, when they give Martins a rousing reception.
Now on to a section called 'What Makes Us Unique', colloquially known as the dreaded flags. The athletes are on their way into the stadium, and will be now for almost two hours. At least we start with a fantastic moment of the Independent Paralympic Athletes as their two-strong team lead the way.
Being a Portuguese-speaking country, the nations will come out in alphabetical order from their Portuguese names - hence we have South Africa after Afghanistan.
Germany are next out, and they are a country with a rich history at the Paralympics. Only two countries have won more medals than the Germans, who are led out by Markus Rehm - aka the 'Blade Jumper'. Rehm has jumped a whopping 46cm further than his nearest rival in the long jump this year, and had hoped to compete at the Olympics, only to be denied as he couldn't prove that his prosthetic leg did not give him an unfair advantage. Keep an eye out for him challenging the likes of Greg Rutherford in the future, though.
The biggest cheer of the parade so far comes for Argentina - Brazil's South American neighbours. They are well supported over here and will hope to piggyback on what is the closest they have ever had to a home Games.
Incidentally, each team of athletes is being preceded by someone carrying a jigsaw puzzle with that country's name on. Once they reach the middle that piece is getting added to the jigsaw - as you might expect - and when we have finally welcomed all the nations to the party then we will have a fully-formed picture. The suspense is killing me.
Australia get a good cheer from the crowd, and they too have a very good history in the Paralympics. They are one of only four nations in its history to have won more than 1,000 medals - 339 of which have been golds.
Two of Australia's most high-profile athletes are Melissa Tapper, a table tennis player who became the first person from her country to qualify for both the Olympics and Paralympics earlier this summer, and shooter Libby Kosmala, who is competing in an incredible 12th Games at the age of 74. The latter made her Paralympic debut in 1972 as a swimmer, but has since gone on to win nine golds in shooting.
We are now more than 15 minutes into the section and I am delighted to announce that we are well into the 'Bs'. Baby steps people, we're getting there.
Out come Canada - the closest country to those big-four who have won more than 1,000 medals. The Canadians will need 53 medals in Rio to surpass that total themselves, and you'd expect them to achieve that with the number of athletes they have brought.
The Brazilians seem to love their South American counterparts. Chile are the latest country from this part of the world to receive a big cheer on their entry to the stadium.
The next powerhouse out of the tunnel is China, although their dominance has been a lot less evident at the Paralympics than the Olympics down the years. In fairness, they have only competed in eight of the 14 editions of the Paralympics, and still find themselves seventh on the all-time medal table.
Right, let's have a pop quiz to pass the time. Think amongst yourselves who will be the first 'D' country out of the tunnel, and I will reveal the answer in a few looooong minutes.
HINT: The Democratic Republic of Congo is not the answer, for all of you shouting it at the screen.
Here they come - it's only bloody Denmark! Congratulations to all of you who got it right, give yourselves a big pat on the back.
That includes Neil, who you may remember from the buildup earlier when life wasn't just flags and jigsaws. He enjoyed the game and he had all of the answers at his fingertips, so maybe I'll spring another one later. Watch this space.
'D' was actually mercifully quick, with only Dominican Republic following our old friends the Danes. We're about to go on a run of Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain but do not be fooled - we are still only on the Portuguese E.
Here come the premier Olympic nation - both at the Olympics and the Paralympics. USA are the most decorated nation in Paralympic history with 1,939 medals, including 697 golds. They will almost certainly become the first country to go past 2,000 Paralympic medals at these Games.
HUGE cheer for the American team as they are led out by Allison Jones - gold medallist in the cycling time trial at London 2012. Other members of the team to look out for are Elizabeth Marks - favourite in the 100m breaststroke SB7 category - and Russian-born Tatyana McFadden, who won three gold medals in London in wheelchair racing and could add as many as seven to that total here in Rio. Remarkably, she also won silver at the winter Paralympics in Sochi as a cross-country skier in 2014.
The Faroe Islanders look lonely as Krista Morkore leads out her two teammates. It does signify the start of the 'Fs', though, which is valuable progress. Just three-quarters of the alphabet left to go.
The French, led by wheelchair tennis star Michael Jeremiasz, are well received, with a few of the delegates in front of us giving their country a standing ovation. They are delighted to see their athletes, but the photographers are not so happy that their shots are being blocked by the backs of dignitaries.
We're nearing the moment you've all been waiting for... Great Britain are waiting in the wings!
...and here they come! Led by Lee Pearson, a 12-time medallist in equestrianism, including 10 golds, Britain will be looking to continue their magnificent performance at the Olympics here. Team GB won a record medal haul in Rio and finished second in the final table, above China, so it is a big act to follow for the Paralympic compatriots.
Britain have a rich history at the Paralympics, though. Aside from effectively starting the Paralympic movement in Stoke Mandeville, they have won 1,557 medals at the Games - second only to the United States and including 529 golds. From David Weir to Dame Sarah Storey, they have provided some of the greatest Paralympians of recent times and will be hopeful of showcasing a legacy from London 2012 in Rio.
It's pop quiz time again! Haiti marks the beginning of the 'Hs', but who will be the first 'I' nation out of the tunnel?
It's INDIA! Despite their huge population, India have won just eight Paralympic medals, and only two golds, from the 10 Games they have participated in - fewer than those lonely Faroe Islanders.
I thought Iran were given a strangely vociferous reception as they came out, but it turns out it was the first of another Mexican waves, which even gets those dignitaries in the posh seats involved. Iran, incidentally, boast Siamand Rahman, who can boast the title of being the strongest Paralympian in the world. Also look out for archer Zahra Nemati, who became the first woman to win a gold at either the Paralympics or the Olympics in London.
Next out are our friendly neighbours from Ireland, winners of a respectable 62 golds down the years at Paralympics.
Another big cheer rings around the stadium, and with no Mexican wave in sight anymore it can only be for one of two reasons - the emergence of Italy or Neil delivering a beer to me. I know what I was cheering for.
Jamaica also get a good reception, although their Paralympic team is a lot smaller and less star-studded than their Usain Bolt-led counterparts from the Olympics.
Three big cheers in a row as Japan follow Italy and Jamaica out of the tunnel, and one Japanese delegate in particular goes wild while roaring on his fellow countrymen and women.
Major bonus points and kudos for whoever can name the opening 'M' nation, who should be coming up shortly after a string of 'L' minnows.
It's Macao, China of course! And with them comes the halfway point in the alphabet, although there are no fewer than 14 nations beginning with 'M', all the way through to Myanmar.
The Maracana welcomes Mexico to the stadium as the jigsaw puzzle in the middle continues to take shape. Big cheer for the Central Americans, who stride in complete with sombreros just as cliche dictates.
Here are Great Britain's athletes entering the Maracana ahead of what will hopefully be another record-breaking Games for them. The Olympic lot managed it, but it is still a major ask to further build on the success of London 2012.
© onEdition
Norway want the stage to themselves. They leave a big gap between themselves and Nigeria before entering the fray in some rather questionable attire.
Here come the Netherlands, with Marlou van Rhijn bearing the flag for them. They come bursting out of the tunnel and catch up with the meandering Omanis in no time at all. There is a traffic jam building up behind Oman's four-strong team!
Perhaps it is no surprise to see Netherlands coming out at pace - Van Rhijn has been almost unbeatable in the sprinting world since picking up silver at London 2012. The 'Blade Babe' has broken her own world record on numerous occasions and has won gold in both the 100m and 200m T43 races at the last two World Championships. She is favourite to add an Olympic double to her resume in Rio.
The Poles provide a splash of colour to proceedings with a brilliant imitation of their own flag in their attire - white on the top half and red on the bottom.
Comfortably the biggest reception yet greets the arrival of the Portuguese team - a country with strong links to Brazil of course. Incidentally, today is a national holiday for Independence Day when Brazil became free of Portugal's rule, but there still seems to be a fondness for the Portuguese here.
Samoa herald the beginning of the 'S' countries - so stick with us! Once we get past these and the 'Ts' then we are on the home straight and you won't have to see another flag until... well later in the ceremony I suppose but there will at least be a well-earned break.
Another Mexican wave makes its way around the stadium, although this one is shorter-lived than its predecessors. These fans are just waiting for the Brazil team, who will be the last ones out.
Only 16 countries to go, now beginning with the titans of Timor-Leste, who are looking for their first Paralympic medal in their third Games here.
Turkey bring an end to the 'Ts', which pretty much puts us on the final straight to the end of these flags. Ukraine are next out, and after them we have just EIGHT COUNTRIES TO GO!
Uruguay get a decent reception, and I suspect Venezuela will too, but they will all pale in comparison to the reaction when Brazil eventually come out. It will be a mixture of pride as the home nation make their first appearance at these Paralympics and delight that this section of the ceremony is over.
Vietnam, US Virgin Islands and Zimbabwe. Only one country remain now...
It is a predictably huge reception for the hosts, and it even brings about a welcome change in accompanying music! The Brazilian athletes have the stage to themselves, and they are soaking up this adulation from the fans.
As you would expect from the host nation, there are hundreds of Brazilian athletes on their way into the stadium, and they are taking their time celebrating in front of the cameras and with the helpers at the side, who have now been dancing for pretty much two hours solid.
The carnival atmosphere has returned to the Maracana! Samba music accompanies the athletes on their way round, with Brazil's flagbearer Shirlene Coelho leading the way - a two-time world champion and reigning Olympic champion in javelin.
The star of the Brazil team is Daniel Dias, who I mentioned before these flags. That was a long time ago, though, so a reminder that he has won 10 Paralympic gold medals - four in Beijing and six in London, setting four world records in the process at the latter. Dias is competing in nine events in Rio, and should he win seven golds - as he did at the World Championships last year - then he would become the most decorated Paralympian in history.
I'm sure you've been on tenterhooks throughout as to what the jigsaw is depicting, and I can now reveal that it is a heart, fitting in nicely with the theme of the ceremony (Everybody has a heart). The final piece is brought in by contemporary artist Vik Muniz, before coming to life on the Maracana floor as the whole stadium beats along and turns red.
Neil promised you flags and fireworks earlier, and Rio has just delivered. A series of fireworks mark the end of the longest section of the ceremony, and now we go on to the speeches.
First up is President of the Organizing Committee for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Carlos Arthur Nuzman.
"We welcome you to Rio - the Paralympic City is ready! Here we stand to deliver history, to be made by the athletes, the volunteers and by you: right here, right now."
"Today we celebrate a great challenge to make the world more accessible for all."
"When everyone else disbelieves, we Brazilians grow! We are the country of impossible achievements. We like to work as a team. We have the best partners in the world. We have the best cause in the world. We are here, now, in the best place on the planet, with the most important mission on the face of the Earth: we stand together for equality among people! People who, they they look different, share the same heart. Everybody has a heart!"
"Courage to face any obstacles. The resolve to never give up. Brazilians never give up! You, the athletes, inspire us with your passion. We are a country of passionate people! We are Brazilians! We also salute the volunteers, the tireless souls of the Rio 2016 Games."
It was all going so well for Mr Nuzman, who had the crowd eating his every word. One mention of the future provokes one of the loudest and most prolonged reactions I have heard, though. Boos initially fill the stadium, then cheers override it and the mixed reaction continues for some time as Nuzman patiently waits.
"I end my speech with my heart wide open and a salute to the athletes who have come here. You are Super Humans. You know that nothing is impossible. It is with great admiration that we dedicate these Games and this party to Paralympic athletes all over the world."
"Congratulations, you are our heroes! Rio is ready to deliver Paralympic history! Good evening to all!"
Here comes Sir Philip Craven, with some very impressive Portuguese for a man from Bolton.
"Good evening and welcome to Rio, the Cidade Maracilhosa. Welcome to the start of Latin America's first Paralympic games. 194 years ago today, Prince Dom Pedro I declared Brazil's independence. The Rio 2016 Para Games will bring a new perspective to everyone in this country by showing that the human spirit knows no limits."
"You will witness how the Paralympic sport has the ability to inspire people. In a country which has faced major challenges of late, Paralympians will switch your focus to a world full of possibility and endless opportunity. They will surprise you, inspire and excite you, but most of all they will change you."
"Paralympians, Your values tell people what you stand for and most importantly, who you are. With the eyes of the world upon you, I ask you to send a message to the world through sport. A narrative of inclusion, a tale of empowerment and a legend that hope will always conquer fear."
"Show the world that there is no them, there is only us: a world of people of all races, nationalities sexualities can come together as one. We are all part of one world."
"I ask you to play fair, abide by the rules and most of all, have fun doing what you do best. You have before you one of the world's beautiful cities. Rio is powered by its people and the Cariocas know what these Games will do for driving social inclusion."
Note the special mention to abide by the rules. *Ahem* Russia *ahem*
Well, it was mostly a good, well received speech from Philip Craven, but there were boos at the mention of the federal government and massive unrest when he introduced acting president Michel Temer to officially open the Games. The people of Rio are not at all happy with their government, and they are making it abundantly clear.
However, the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are now officially OPEN!
The next section of the ceremony is designed to "question the predominance of sight over the other sense". To do that, the section starts with 400 blind sticks, that light up in an otherwise dark Maracana, being carried around.
To drive home the point, a pair of blind dancers - Renata and Oscar - perform a pas de deux, which is designed to make us wonder about "our ability to develop new skills when we lack one of the five senses".
On to the next section, were pictograms have been created to showcase every Olympic sport. This being Brazil, football is first up before large panels are brought on to the stage and passed through other sections to create apparently moving images. I have no idea how they have made that work, but it does. Very cool.
The 100m sprint ends the showcase of Paralympic sports, and it must be said that that was a very good and innovative inclusion in this ceremony. Thumbs up to the organisers.
More panels come on to the stage, this time to make up the Agitos - the symbol of the Paralympics. The agitos light up in the middle of the stage and fireworks surround the stadium as another segment - 'A symbol for everyone' comes to an end.
Next up is 'Universal Love', which begins with a video paying tribute to the story of Projeto Bota no Mundo, created by a father to help his disabled son to play football. The Projeta Bota no Mundo conducts a championship in which the participants only take penalties.
Here, parents and their children carry the IPC flag into the stadium all wearing the boots designed by Alexandre Faleiros. Each child is being given a great reception by the crowd.
The flag is hoisted up by the firefighters once again as the stadium rises to salute the Paralympic anthem.
Here come the Paralympic oaths, including sprinter Terezinha Guillhermina, who is the fastest blind sprinter in the world. She has won six Paralympic medals in her career, including gold medals in the 100m and 200m at London 2012.
On to the penultimate section - 'Harmonious Relationship' - which begins with former United States snowboard Paralympian Amy Purdy involved in a dance with a giant robot arm, known to its friends as KUKA.
Our media guide describes this part as a "game of seduction" between Amy and her robot companion. No further comment.
Thankfully, that seduction doesn't escalate too far and soon turns into a dance-off - in my experience seductive moves invariably do - which Amy Purdy comfortably wins. That section was designed to "subtly highlight human emotions, creativity and spontaneity, qualities that cannot be mimicked by machines".
That concludes the ninth of our 10 sections, which means it is time for the lighting of the torch! It has been through the hands of 700 bearers in every section of Brazil, but now it is down to the final four, and we're moments away from the cauldron being lit.
The first of the four is Antonio Delfino de Souza, who won three gold medals at two Games (2000 and 2004).
Next up is Marcia Malsar, a former member of the Brazilian delegation. She falls while carrying it, though, and drops the flame, but immediately the crowd get behind her and roar her on. Up she gets to complete the job, showcasing the Paralympic spirit of never giving up brilliantly.
Marcia hands it to Adria Rocha, who participated in six editions of the Paralympics as a partially-sighted sprinter. She won 537 competition medals in Brazil and 70 more internationally.
Finally the torch is handed to Clodoaldo Silva, aka 'the Paralympic Shark'. He is the most decorated Brazilian athlete in Paralympic history with 13 medals, six of which were golds. He will end his illustrious career at these Games.
Silva is faced with a staircase stopping him from getting to the pyre, designed to highlight the lack of accessibility for disabled people in many places.
The stairs turn into ramps, though, and Silva battles through the pouring rain here in the Maracana to light the torch, which in turn rises into the sky and draws another huge cheer from the crowd.
A final flurry of fireworks come from the roof of the Maracana, although those pyrotechnics have been noticeably low-key in this ceremony. Out comes singer Seu Jorge - not deterred by the rain - to bring an end to the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.
The performers spill back out onto the stage as Seu Jorge continues to sing and confetti pours down from the stadium roof. These lot aren't having their party ruined by some rain, that's for sure.
Right, that brings an end to the opening ceremony, folks! It was a veritable feast of fun and colour in true Brazilian style, and a worthy way to herald the beginning of the Paralympic Games. We now have 11 days of sport to look forward to, and you can follow coverage throughout on Sports Mole! For me, though, it is Tchau for now!
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
