Tokyo’s Paralympic Games open on Tuesday, with athletes hoping to shatter stereotypes and world records despite a year-long pandemic delay and as Japan battles a surge in virus cases.
The Games will officially be declared open on Tuesday evening by Japan’s Emperor Naruhito but virus rules mean most of the stadium’s 68,000 seats will be empty.
Still, the excitement is clear among the 4,400 athletes from 162 teams taking part this year.
Among them are Germany’s world record-setting long-jumper Markus Rehm, dubbed the ‘Blade Jumper’, and Japan’s wheelchair tennis legend Shingo Kunieda.