summer paralympics summer paralympics fourteenth summer paralympic games generally known london paralympic games major international multi sport event athletes disabilities governed took place london england august september paralympics largest multi sport events held united_kingdom summer olympics largest paralympics athletes participated fourteen countries appearing paralympics time total events sports held games time suspension paralympics events disabled held selected sports lead games prominently emphasized return paralympic movement spiritual birthplace british village hosted games athletics event disabled british veterans second world war held coincide opening summer olympics london organized sporting event disabled athletes served precursor modern paralympic games hosted summer paralympics long_island new_york original host pulled financial issues organizers expected games paralympics achieve mass market appeal continued enthusiasm british public following country successful performance summer olympics awareness united_kingdom role history paralympics public attention surrounding south african prior paralympics double compete summer olympics alongside able bodied athletes major marketing campaign instituted games local broadcaster growing media coverage paralympic sport games ultimately met expectations breaking records ticket sales profile paralympics relation olympics prompting president declare greatest paralympic games bidding process formal agreement established winner bid summer olympics host summer paralympics singapore rights host summer olympics paralympics awarded london development preparation olympics summer paralympics overseen responsible overseeing staging games dealt infrastructure venues media sport lead government body london olympics paralympics reported permanent secretary minister sports olympics hugh focused oversight games cross programme management london olympic legacy venues infrastructure summer paralympics venues summer olympics new locations wheelchair tennis brands hatch road cycling london purpose built olympic venues facilities including designed accessible possible easily accommodate paralympics venues contained additional accessible seating areas paralympics public transport transport london operated version operated summer olympics facilitate road traffic venues facilities network provided miles kilometres lanes specifically reserved paralympic athletes officials continued operate ahead games website paralympics provided updates advice games prior games concerns raised commissioner london transportation system able handle paralympics adequately feared end school summer holiday fell games result increased traffic traffic warnings change travel behaviour olympics railway station designated preferred station spectators travelling watch cycling brands hatch organisers chose closer railway station existing step free access excellent transport links wheelchair lift whilst organisers believe able wheelchair lifts installed start paralympics station finished installation early august lead promotion ceremony formal occurred closing ceremony summer paralympics beijing mayor london received mayor beijing followed cultural presentation britain similar presentation olympics closing ceremony featured urban dance group physically integrated dance group dressed london waiting bus crossing double bus drove stadium guided music composed bus open folded featuring london landmarks tower bridge london eye drummer performed bus folded original form sporting multi coloured paralympic paralympic olympic flags formally raised outside london city hall september british raised paralympic flag paralympic day super saturday september square staged international paralympic day hosted coincide visit london representatives event celebrated paralympic games showcasing demonstrating sports feature games sessions inclusive people hearing disabilities featured appearances paralympic athletes unveiling bronze statue british prime minister london mayor appeared days later september supermarket chain channel_4 presented super saturday family event event featured showcases paralympic sports concert featuring pop music acts including wanted young saturdays channel_4 promotional campaign channel host broadcaster summer paralympics united_kingdom promoted coverage games multi platform advertising campaign included television online content billboard advertising carrying tagline thanks warm overall channel campaign aimed change public view paralympics encouraging viewers games event right olympics campaign channel_4 produced minute long trailer coverage entitled meet directed input leader editorial manager disability channel_4 trailer set public enemy song harder think focused competitive aspects paralympic sport acknowledging personal events struggles reflected athlete participation games meet premiered july aired simultaneously different commercial television channels included rival channels met critical acclaim declared summer stunning sports commercial independent felt act branding genius clear bid bring paralympics sporting wings centre stage seen estimated audience million viewers channel_4 marketing communications chief estimated reaction social media double bbc trailer olympics coverage meet won golden lion award cannes lions festival june losing overall award dumb ways die sir jury president said got outstanding work tragic ways bigger award grand prix jury member added meet amazing campaign went judging process immediately felt highest level craft puts issue important london raise awareness paralympics hyper successful tough contender stamps gold post boxes august unveiled series stamps reflecting 30th coming olympic paralympic games released july stamp featured olympic paralympic sport london logo olympics honoured britain paralympic gold painting post box gold home towns additional post box outside honour role games history featured commemorative stamps released games originally planned release series stamps group portraits britain decision met backlash critics argued organization granting individual recognition counterparts olympic shadow minister critical plan saying stamps symbolic aspect britain celebration olympics shame important symbol offered heroes initially defended decision arguing practically impossible issue individual stamps gold expected british team meet exceed performance beijing gold medals result criticism announced august release individual stamps british gold paralympics test events paralympics specific events held london prepares series test events olympic paralympic games included paralympic event held london olympic stadium torch relay paralympic torch relay began august groups disabled non disabled scouts paralympic flames highest peaks nation united_kingdom england scotland northern_ireland wales august flames light ceremonial london edinburgh belfast cardiff special flame festival events smaller flame celebration events held communities bank holiday weekend august flames united ceremony flame travelled mile kilometre route olympic stadium hour relay working teams hour weather delay backup flame taken straight stadium relay route modified opening ceremony parade nations took longer expected flame able arrive olympic stadium time million tickets offered total including event specific tickets granting access solely multi event passes offered london olympic park intended allow spectators discover variety paralympic events unlike previous paralympics tickets extremely high demand ticket allocation increased originally planned million whilst period olympics historically busiest paralympic sales million tickets sold start summer olympics surpassing total number sold sydney high demand resulted technical issues operated website led complaints social networking services users struggling order organisers expected sell history paralympics chief executive remarked interest attending paralympics extraordinary start success attributed enthusiasm surrounding great_britain performance olympics fan interest south african blade runner oscar paralympic athlete double compete olympics affordable prices august announced million tickets sold previous month breaking record million set beijing million tickets distributed chinese government president congratulated london achievement appetite public class elite sport noted fitting paralympics held spiritual birthplace filled venues opening ceremony million sold remaining sold games offered day tickets distributed police military mayor arranged distribution members london youth athletics clubs popular demand tickets released september included multi event passes event tickets given sponsors partners giving access solely logo summer paralympics emblem sharing common design summer olympics time logo designed unveiled june representation number paralympic version distinct colour scheme olympic rings paralympic official mascot summer paralympic games unveiled alongside olympic counterpart characters portrayed drops steel feature singular camera eyes representing focus cameras capture games named honour significance origins paralympics wears helmet red green blue colours paralympic emblem opening ceremony opening ceremony held august olympic stadium inspired william_shakespeare play themed concept enlightenment featured appearances theoretical physicist actors playing roles ceremony featured performance british electronic music group leading disabled theatre company played version survivor protest song final paralympic flame represented generations paralympic athletes lost legs stepping land duty afghanistan represented future plans compete rio delivered flame olympic stadium orbit tower passed flame long time british football captain passed lighter paralympic winner britain gold medal official paralympics rome closing ceremony closing ceremony held september olympic stadium entitled festival flame ceremony themed gathering people celebration directed directed closing ceremony summer olympics weeks prior ceremony featured sequences set live performance british rock band accompanied guest performers british accompanied band swing performed paralympic anthem singer rihanna performed collaboration princess china solo hit found love american rapper jay-z performed run town rihanna joined reprise paradise mark hosting summer paralympics paralympic flag passed mayor london mayor rio_de_janeiro chief president congratulated london successful hosting paralympics proud olympics paralympics london labelled britain sir felt games greatest paralympic games ellie shared honour paralympic sharing flame stadium represent eternal spirit games participating nations london largest number athletes participating nations paralympic games total athletes countries competed games represented increase athletes countries games athletes countries fourteen countries paralympic début antigua guinea north_korea trinidad returned games time début having appearances making debut games send withdrew hours opening ceremony citing lack government funds following sent compete sports programme summer paralympics featured events sports number events sport noted
2012 Summer Paralympics