Duro Ikhazuagbe
18 September 2008
Lagos — The 2008 Paralympics ended yesterday with host nation China again leading all comers with 89 gold, 70 silver and 52 bronze medals to clinch the top post, barely a month after also winning the main Olympics proper in Beijing.
Great Britain, host nation of the 2012 edition finished second with 42 gold, 29 silver and 31 bronze medals with USA paralympians placing third with 36 gold, 35 silver and 28 bronze medals.
Nigeria finished in the 30th position with 4 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. It was an improvement on the performance of the able bodied athletes in the 2008 Beijing Olympic who could not get hold of any gold in all the events the country competed in.
The closest was the men's football event, which the Dream Team IV narrowly lost to Argentina on the final day of battle for the gold.
With 25 athletes competing in power lifting, athletics and wheel chair tennis, Nigeria's gold medals came through Ruel Ishaku, Lucy Ejike (both in men and women 48kg power-lifting) and Eucharia Njideka Iyiazi won two in shot put and discuss.
The high point of yesterday's closing ceremony was the handing over of the Paralympics flag to the Mayor of London as Beijing extinguished its flame at the Bird's Nest Stadium.
International Paralympics Committee chief Philip Craven hailed Beijing 2008 as "the greatest Games ever" during a moving, colourful closing ceremony.
London 2012's double-decker bus made a second appearance alongside wheelchair basketball star Ade Adepitan.
British organisers offered "youth and zest" for London's second handover, featuring a new generation of talent.
Once again, the Beijing organisers produced a ceremony packed with light, sound and choreography, lapped up by a capacity Bird's Nest audience.
Thousands of leaves and petals fell from the sky on a still; clear evening in Beijing, exploding into a feast of colour.
Craven paid tribute to "the best ever Paralympics villages, a never-ending and self-generating supply of passion and emotion, superb organisation and wonderful volunteers," in his speech.
He hailed, "Millions of new Paralympics sports aficionados both here in China and around the world".
Twenty-five students from the Harrow International School in Beijing sang the British national anthem to launch London's Paralympics handover ceremony.
London Mayor Boris Johnson took the Paralympics flag from Craven and Guo Jinlong, Mayor of Beijing, to signify the beginning of London's term as host city.
Adepitan, bronze medallist in Athens, led the double decker into the stadium along with Gareth Picken, a nine-year-old wheelchair gymnast and competition winner on Blue Peter.
Drummer Cherisse Osei emerged from the bus on an elevator followed by Sam Hegedus, dressed as Lord Nelson on a column, but replacing the customary eye patch and sword with sunglasses and a guitar.
The British team is expected to arrive back at Heathrow Airport this morning.
Celebrations are taking place in Britain to mark the handover, with Stoke Mandeville hospital - which hosted the first Games for wheelchair-bound athletes 60 years ago - open for students to attend a special ceremony.
For Nigeria the impressive performance of their physically challenged athletes, the hope is that both the government and society will appreciate them for what they achieved in the Far East.
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