Raimeda Bučinskytė, the debutant of the Games, waved the tricolor of Lithuania at the closing ceremony of the world’s largest sports event for people with disabilities at the Stade de France stadium in the Saint-Denis district of Paris. In addition to the shooter of the national team, swimmer Gabriele Čepavičiūtė and marathoner Aušra Garunkšnytė participated in the closing, and the country was represented by the coaches and staff of the Paralympic national team.
The Lithuanian delegation will return home with one medal, which was won for our country on Friday by judo wrestler Osvaldas Bareikis, coached by Algis Mečkovskis. For the athlete, these games are the third in his career.
“I am very happy for Osvald, his coach Algis and the medal they won for Lithuania in the second games in a row. Other athletes of the national team cheered and showed their skill in high places. I would not like to single out any of them, because I know how much strength – physical and psychological – each and every one of them gave. Some were closer to the awards, others further away, still others made their debut and got to know the highest level, laying the foundations for the future. I congratulate everyone for participating and honorably representing Lithuania.
All paraathletes competing in this sport are more than athletes and the Paralympic movement is more than a sport. We have a mission to empower people through sports, to achieve an inclusive society, equal opportunities for all people, regardless of their disability. This sport has an important social component, and we fulfilled this mission in Paris,” said Lithuanian Paralympic Committee President Mindaugas Bilius.
The Lithuanian national paralympic team was represented in Paris by athletes Aušra Garunkšnytė, Oksana Dobrovolskaja, Eivydė Vainauskaitė, Donatas Dundzys, Andrius Skuja, swimmers Gabrielė Čepavičiūtė and Edgaras Matakas, shooter Raimeda Bučinskytė and judo wrestler Osvaldas Bareikis. For the Lithuanian team, it was the anniversary, the tenth Paralympic Games after the restoration of Independence.
2024-09-09 00:25:29