Brazil seeks to top medals standings at TO2015

Seeking to maintain first place in the medals table, Brazil will take a record 270 athletes to the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games (7-15 August).

Brazil topped the medals table at the Rio de Janeiro 2007 and Guadalajara 2011 Parapan Ams. Toronto 2015 will be the largest para-sport competition held in Canada since the 1976 Paralympic Games, which were also played in Toronto, Canada.

Some 1,600 athletes coming from a record 28 countries will compete in 15 sports, which will all act as qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Brazil will have the largest delegation of the competition, with 175 male and 95 female.

Among the swimmers is Daniel Dias, who won 11 gold medals at Guadalajara 2011.

"The Parapan is a special competition for me,” Dias said. “I have great memories of my first appearance, when competition was shown to the Brazilian public in Rio in 2007. Four years later, I was fortunate to leave Guadalajara with 11 gold medals. I cannot wait to be in Toronto.”

There are also athletes who will compete at the Parapan American Games for the first time, such as young sprinter Veronica Hipolito. Although Hipolito won a gold medal and one silver at the 2013 World Championships, the 18-year-old hopes to add more.

"I am really excited because the sport of athletics in Brazil can show their strength and, of course,” she said. “Everyone will want to give it their best, and it will be no different for me. I want to get on the track to give my best and win.”

Brazilian athletes will face strong opponents from the US and host nation Canada, which both also expected to bring strong delegations.

"We know it will not be easy to continue in first place in the medals table,” president of CPB and vice president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Andrew Parsons said. “Canada has a new generation and will, of course, with enough force, enjoy the fact that they are competing at home. But we are excited and confident in maintaining hegemony in the Americas. Is undoubtedly a very high level Parapan and an important step in our preparations for the Paralympic Games in Rio.”

Brazil's full team for Toronto 2015 can be found here.

For more information on the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games, visit the event website.