London 2012 Paralympic Games 400 Days Away

Tickets for the Paralympic Games will go on sale on 9 September

In just 400 days, approximately 4,200 athletes from 150 different countries will flood the city of London to kick off the 2012 Paralympic Games.

A total of 503 events across 20 sports will take place across Great Britain in an 11-day period.

Here’s a brief summary of what to look forward to leading up to the Games:

International Paralympic Day

On 8 September, London’s Trafalgar Square will be home to the fifth International Paralympic Day, which will enable the public to learn more about the 20 Paralympic sports that will be a part of the Games in 2012.

Top Paralympic athletes from around the world will be in attendance to share their stories, and spectators will have a chance to try out Paralympic sports themselves.

Athletes to Watch

South African track sensation Oscar Pistorius could be competing in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. The double-amputee sprinter recently qualified for this year’s able-bodied World Championships in South Korea in the 400 metres. Whether or not he qualifies for the Olympic Games next year, he is a sure to attract plenty of attention in the 100-metre, 200-metre and 400-metre events at the Paralympic Games.

The USA’s Mallory Weggemann won eight gold medals and smashed nine world records at last year’s International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships, and the 22-year-old is expected to make quite the splash next summer in London.

At age 23, Great Britain’s Danielle Brown hopes to repeat her success in the Archery competition. The reigning Paralympic gold medalist in the individual compound open will have the home crowd behind her this time around.

The Netherlands’ Esther Vergeer could claim her fourth consecutive Paralympic Games gold medal in London in Wheelchair Tennis. As the overwhelming favorite in women’s singles, she has not lost a match since January 2003.

Venues

Many of the larger Paralympic events will take place in the spectacular Olympic Park in Northeast London.

Olympic Stadium, which will have a capacity of 80,000, is surrounded by waterways on three sides and spectators will reach the venue via five bridges that link the site to the surrounding area. It will host both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in addition to the Athletics events.

The Aquatics Centre, the gateway to Olympic Park, will be home to all of the Swimming events, while the Basketball Arena will host both Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby competitions.

The Athletes’ Village will be located within walking distance of the Olympic Park venues, and will be comprised of residential apartments that can host up to 17,000 people.

Torch Relay

The London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay team will release more information regarding the Torch Relay later this year. The event will take place in August 2012 in the run-up to the Paralympic Games.

Tickets

Tickets for the Paralympic Games will go on sale on 9 September. More than one million people have registered already. To sign up for your tickets, visit www.tickets.london2012.com.