Paralympic Games to break ticket sales record
Of the 3.3 million tickets for sale, 94% will cost less than R$70 (US$23)
At the closing ceremony for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, London passed the baton to Rio de Janeiro (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)
The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games promises to be bigger than ever.
The 2.7 million tickets sold in London 2012 beat the previous record for the Paralympics, but Brazil is planning an even bigger party: 3.3 million tickets will go on sale on 7 September.
According to Rio 2016 Ticketing Director, Donovan Ferreti, the Paralympic Games will be more inclusive than ever. “We want to put on a huge celebration with fans from the other 177 countries in the world,” he said. “It is about a sporting event of the very highest level and spectators interested in securing a place at these Games will find tickets at very affordable prices. It’s part of our commitment towards a Games for all.”
The Paralympics will bring together 4,350 athletes from 178 countries to compete in 23 sports. Tickets for the 300 sporting sessions will range from R$10 (US$3) to R$130 (US$43), though over 60% will cost no more than R$40 (US$13) and 94% will cost no more than R$70 (US$23). Prices for the opening and closing ceremony will cost between R$100 (US$33) to R$1200 (US$400).
Over 100 countries broadcast coverage of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. In Great Britain alone, the television audience was 39.9 million, with almost 70% of the population watching some of the competitions.
For Rio 2016 there will be two more sports to enjoy, as para-canoeing and triathlon both make their Paralympic debut, raising the total number of sports on offer to 23.
Over 12 days of competition, in 20 sporting locations across four competition zones, more medals will be up for grabs than ever before: 528 in Rio 2016, up from 503 in London 2012.
More women than ever before are also expected to participate. Of the 4,350 athletes due to take part, 1,650 will be women, a number 9.9% higher than in London 2012, and more than double the number who competed in the Atlanta Paralympics 20 years ago.
Among the global stars who will be in Rio are the Dutch sprinter, Marlou van Rhijn, known as the blade babe, the fastest in the world at 100m; Jonnie Peacock, the 100m British gold medallist in London 2012; Argentina’s wheelchair tennis star Gustavo Fernandez, and David Brown, the world-record holding American track and field athlete.
