2008 Summer Paralympics
Encyclopedia
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
.
Over 4,200 athletes from 148 countries were expected to take part. This was the largest ever number of nations at the Paralympics (twelve more than in Athens), and several countries competed for the first time. China fielded more athletes than any other country. The slogan for the 2008 Paralympics was the same as the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, "One World, One Dream" ( Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
Tóng yīge shìjìe tóng yīge mèngxiǎng, lit. "One World, One Dream"). China dominated the medal count finishing with 89 gold medals and 211 total medals, more than double the next-ranked NPC in both cases.
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Philip Craven
Philip Craven
Sir Philip Craven MBE is a British sports official and former athlete. He is the second and current President of the International Paralympic Committee .-Education:...
declared the Games "the greatest Paralympic Games ever."
Venues
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
—have been selected for the 2008 Summer Paralympics.
- Beijing National StadiumBeijing National StadiumBeijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
(Birds Nest) - Beijing National Aquatics Center (Water Cube)
- Beijing National Indoor StadiumBeijing National Indoor StadiumThe Beijing National Indoor Stadium, also known as the National Indoor Stadium , is an indoor arena that is located in the Olympic Green in Beijing, China. The stadium was constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics...
(Fan) - Fencing Gymnasium of Olympic Green Convention CentreOlympic Green Convention CentreThe Olympic Green Convention Center or National Convention Center is a new convention center located in the Olympic Green in Beijing. It was designed by RMJM and was used for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It covers an area of 270,000 square metres...
- Olympic Green Archery FieldOlympic Green Archery FieldThe Olympic Green Archery Field was one of nine temporary venues for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It hosted the archery events.The field occupied 9.22 hectares and had a seating capacity of 5,000. After the games it was dismantled and the site became open space.-Reference:*...
- Olympic Green Hockey FieldOlympic Green Hockey FieldThe Olympic Green Hockey Field was one of nine temporary venues used for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It hosted the field hockey competitions during those games....
- Olympic Green Tennis CentreOlympic Green Tennis CentreThe Olympic Green Tennis Center or Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Court , is a tennis centre located in the Olympic Green. It opened on 1 October 2007...
(Flowers) - Peking University GymnasiumPeking University GymnasiumPeking University Gymnasium , nicknamed China's Spine , is an indoor arena located in the southeastern part of Peking University in Beijing, China....
- Beihang University GymnasiumBeihang University GymnasiumBeihang University Gymnasium is a 5,400-seat indoor arena located on the campus of Beihang University in Beijing, China. It hosted weightlifting competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics and powerlifting competitions at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.-Reference:...
- China Agricultural University GymnasiumChina Agricultural University GymnasiumThe China Agricultural University Gymnasium is an indoor arena located on the campus of the China Agricultural University in Beijing. It hosted the wrestling events of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Gymnasium's rooftop has a staggered, stair-like design....
- Beijing Science and Technology University GymnasiumBeijing Science and Technology University GymnasiumThe Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium is an indoor arena located on the campus of the University of Science and Technology Beijing. The venue covers an area of 2.38 hectares and the total floor space of construction reaches 24,662 square metres. The seating capacity is 8,024...
- Beijing Institute of Technology GymnasiumBeijing Institute of Technology GymnasiumBeijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium is a 5,000-seat indoor arena located on the campus of Beijing Institute of Technology in Beijing, China. It hosted volleyball competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the goalball competition at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.-Reference:*...
- Beijing Shooting Range HallBeijing Shooting Range HallThe Beijing Shooting Range Hall is a shooting hall located in Shijingshan District, Beijing. It hosted the qualifying rounds and finals of ten shooting events at the 2008 Summer Olympics, consisting of all 10-, 25- and 50-metre events. It was the venue of the first gold medal awarded at the...
- Laoshan Mountain Bike CourseLaoshan Mountain Bike CourseThe Laoshan Mountain Bike Course is a mountain bike cycling venue located in western Beijing, China adjacent to the Laoshan Velodrome. It began its renovation and expansion program in May 2006....
- Workers GymnasiumWorkers Indoor ArenaThe Workers' Indoor Arena, also known as Beijing Workers' Gymnasium , is an indoor arena located west of the Workers Stadium in Beijing, China. It was inaugurated in 1961 for the 26th World Table Tennis Championships....
- Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing ParkShunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing ParkThe Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park is the new, purpose-built venue for the rowing, canoeing and 10 km open-water swimming events in the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is located in Mapo Village in the Shunyi District in Beijing....
- Triathlon VenueTriathlon VenueThe Triathlon Venue is one of nine temporary venues used for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is located at the Ming Dynasty Tomb Reservoir. The venue was used for the triathlon events.-References:*...
- Hong Kong Equestrian Venues
- Qingdao International Sailing CentreQingdao International Sailing CentreThe Qingdao International Sailing Centre is a sailing marina located on the former site of the Beihai Shipyard by Qingdao's Fushan Bay at Shandong Province in China. It was constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions. Wind conditions vary...
Emblem
The emblem, "Sky, Earth, and Human Beings" , is a multicolored Chinese character "之" stylized as an athletic figure in motion. The red, blue, and green in the emblem represent sun, sky, and earth.Slogan
The slogan is the same as the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, "One World, One Dream".
Mascots
The mascot is a cartoon cow named Fu Niu LeleFu Niu Lele
Fu Niu Lele , was the mascot of the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.The mascot, designed by Wu GuanYing, professor at the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University, was unveiled on on September 6, 2006 at the foot of the Great Wall of China's Badaling.Fu Niu Lele represents a harmonious...
, roughly meaning "Lucky Ox 'Happy'".
Theme song
The theme song is 'Flying with the Dream' . It was performed by Chinese-Tibetan singer Han Hong and Hong Kong singer and actor Andy LauAndy Lau
Andy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
.
Torch relay
The torch relay of the 2008 Summer Paralympics started from Tian Tan (Temple of Heaven) on August 28. The flame then gathered before The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿) and followed two routes (the "Route of Ancient China" and the "Route of Modern China"). Both routes returned to Beijing on September 5, and the torch was flamed at the National StadiumBeijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
during the Opening Ceremony on September 6.
The Games
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony took place on September 6, 2008. The pre-ceremony performance was a succession of various musical performances, ranging from military music to folk music and a performance of Ode to JoyOde to Joy
"Ode to Joy" is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet, playwright and historian Friedrich Schiller, enthusiastically celebrating the brotherhood and unity of all mankind...
. Following a countdown, a fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display signalled the beginning of the ceremony proper. The national flag of China
Flag of the People's Republic of China
The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly...
was then raised, in accordance with usual protocol, and the national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of China performed. Performers wearing suits in bright colours paraded round the stadium, as a welcoming ceremony preceding the athletes' entry. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, the ceremony included a parade of nations, with a flag bearer for each national team. Contrary to Olympic tradition, the national team of Greece did not enter first; the host country came last. As Chinese is written in characters and not letters, the order of the teams' entry was determined by the number of strokes in the first character of their respective countries' Simplified Chinese names. Countries with the same number of strokes in the first character are sorted by those of the next character. This made Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
(几内亚) the first country to enter as it takes two strokes to write the first character in the country's name (几). Following the athletes' parade, a performance took place, divided into chapters and sub-chapters entitled the "Journey of Space" and "Journey of Life" The sunbird performance entailed Yang Haitao (楊海濤), a singer with a visual impairment, singing about dreams while an acrobat in sunbird costume descended in simulated flight from the air and "awakened the blind singer from his sleep". The ceremony concludes with Hou Bin
Hou Bin
Hou Bin , born in Jiamusi, Heilongjiang Province, in 1975, is a Chinese athlete who specialises in the high jump.He lost his left leg in an accident at the age of nine. He subsequently became a Paralympian, and represented China at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta. He won gold in the high...
, the high jump gold medalist with one leg lighting the flame cauldron.
Closing ceremony
The 2008 Summer Paralympics closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National StadiumBeijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time (UTC+8
UTC+8
UTC+08:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +08:00. In ISO 8601 the associated time would be written as .With an estimated population of 1.53 billion living within the time zone, roughly 22.5% of the world population, it is the most populous time zone in world, as well as a possible...
) on September 17, 2008.
Sports
Twenty sports are on the program:- ArcheryArchery at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsArchery at the 2008 Summer Paralympics consists of nine events, five for men and four for women. The competitions were held at the Olympic Green Archery Field from September 9 to September 15, 2008.-Classfication:...
- AthleticsAthletics at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsAthletics at the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in Beijing National Stadium from September 8 to September 17. There were 160 gold medals in this sport.-Classification:Athletes are given a classification depending on the type and extent of their disability...
- BocciaBoccia at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsBoccia at the 2008 Summer Paralympics consisted of seven events. The competitions were held in the Beijing National Convention Center from September 7 to September 12.-Classfication:...
- CyclingCycling at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsCycling at the 2008 Summer Paralympics consisted of 44 events in two main disciplines, track cycling and road cycling. Track cycling was held in Laoshan Velodrome from September 7 to September 10, and road cycling took place at the Changping Triathlon Venue from September 12 to September...
- EquestrianEquestrian at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsEquestrian at the 2008 Summer Paralympics consisted of eleven dressage events. The competitions were held in the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Centre from 7 September to 11 September.-Classfication:...
Football 5-a-sideFootball 5-a-side at the 2008 Summer Paralympics5-a-side football at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held at the Olympic Green Hockey Field from September 7 and September 17. One event was contested, a men's team competition.-Classification:...
Football 7-a-sideFootball 7-a-side at the 2008 Summer Paralympics7-a-side football at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held at the Olympic Green Hockey Field from September 8 to September 16. One event was contested, a men's team competition.-Classfication:...
GoalballGoalball at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsGoalball at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium from September 7 to September 14. The competition consisted of men's and women's team events, and what had been billed as one of the most open tournaments certainly lived up to expectations.In the...
JudoJudo at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsThe Judo competition of the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in Beijing Workers' Gymnasium from September 7 to September 9. There were 13 events, corresponding to seven weight classes for men and six for women...
PowerliftingPowerlifting at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsPowerlifting at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the Beihang University Gymnasium from September 9 to September 16. Any athlete who met a minimum level of disability could take part in these events.-Events:There were twenty powerlifting events, corresponding to ten weight classes each for...
RowingRowing at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsRowing at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park from 9 September to 11 September. This was the first time that rowing was competed at the Paralympic Games.-Classfication:...
SailingSailing at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsEighty athletes representing 25 countries in three keelboat classes - the 2.4mR, the SKUD 18, and the Sonar, took part in sailing in the 2008 Summer Paralympics...
ShootingShooting at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsShooting at the 2008 Summer Paralympics consisted of twelve events. The competition was held in the Beijing Shooting Range Hall from 7 September to 12 September.-Classification:...
SwimmingSwimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsThe swimming events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in the Beijing National Aquatics Center between September 7 and September 15, 2008. A total of 140 gold medals were expected to be distributed.-Classifications:...
- Table tennisTable tennis at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsTable tennis at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the Peking University Gymnasium from September 7 to September 15.-Classfication:Players are given a classification depending on the type and extent of their disability. The classification system allows players to compete against others with a...
- VolleyballSitting Volleyball at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsSitting volleyball at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the China Agricultural University Gymnasium from 7 September to 15 September. Two events were contested, men's team and women's team....
- Wheelchair basketballWheelchair Basketball at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsThe Wheelchair Basketball competition of the 2008 Summer Paralympics is held in Beijing National Indoor Stadium and Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium between September 7, 2008 and September 16, 2008...
- Wheelchair fencingWheelchair Fencing at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsWheelchair fencing at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the Fencing Gymansium of the Olympic Green Convention Centre from 14 September to 17 September.-Classification:...
- Wheelchair rugbyWheelchair Rugby at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsWheelchair rugby at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium from 12 September to 16 September.- Medalists :-Classfication:...
- Wheelchair tennisWheelchair Tennis at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsWheelchair tennis at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held at the Olympic Green Tennis Centre from 8 September to 15 September.-Classfication:Players were given a classification depending on the type and extent of their disability. The classification system allowed players to compete against others...
Rowing made its first appearance in the Paralympics at these games.
Participating NPCs
The following National Paralympic CommitteeNational Paralympic Committee
National Paralympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Paralympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Paralympic Committee , they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Paralympic Games.The Paralympic Games are a major...
s sent delegations to compete. Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
and the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
are members of the International Paralympic Committee
International Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
, but not of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
; hence they participate in the Paralympic Games but not in the Olympics.
Burundi
Burundi at the Paralympics
Burundi made its Paralympic Games début at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, sending three male athletes to compete in racing events for arm amputees . None of them won a medal, although Rémy Nikobimeze did come fifth in the 5,000m race.Burundi has never taken part in the Winter...
and Gabon
Gabon at the Paralympics
Gabon made its Paralympic Games début at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, sending a single athlete to compete in track and field. Mabicka entered two events: the 800m race , and the javelin . In the former, he was disqualified, apparently "for attempting to race others with a non-racing...
were participating in the Paralympics for the first time.
Medal count
The top ten ranked NPCs at these Games are listed below. (Host nation is highlighted.)| 1 | align=left | |89 | 70 | 52 | 211 |
| 2 | align=left | |42 | 29 | 31 | 102 |
| 3 | align=left | |36 | 35 | 28 | 99 |
| 4 | align=left | |24 | 18 | 32 | 74 |
| 5 | align=left | |23 | 29 | 27 | 79 |
| 6 | align=left | |21 | 3 | 6 | 30 |
| 7 | align=left | |19 | 10 | 21 | 50 |
| 8 | align=left | |18 | 22 | 23 | 63 |
| 9 | align=left | |16 | 14 | 17 | 47 |
| 10 | align=left | |15 | 21 | 22 | 58 |
Local coverage
- Australia - Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC) will present coverage of the Paralympic Games, on ABC1 and ABC2. - Brazil - SporTVSporTVSporTV is a Brazilian cable television network that has its programming based on all sports, launched in 1991 by Globosat. It's the most watched sports channel in Brazil.- Auto Racing :*Formula One *Stock Car Brasil...
2 and Terra Networks (online) - Canada - Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC) is providing coverage on their television and radio networks as well as extensive online coverage at CBC Paralympics in English. TV coverage consists of four digest shows. In French, Radio Canada (SRC), CBC's French language arm, is providing coverage in the form of two digests on television, with news articles on the web. - China, People's Republic of - Chinese Central Television (CCTV) provides coverage on CCTV-5 and CCTV-7.
- France - EurosportEurosportEurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
- Japan - NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
- Norway - NRK
- Sweden - Sveriges TelevisionSveriges TelevisionSveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
- Turkey - TRTTRT-Broadcasting:* Tamil Radio and Television, a former Tamil language satellite channel* Televisora Regional del Táchira, a Venezuelan regional television network based in the city of San Cristóbal in Táchira...
- United States of America - Universal SportsUniversal SportsUniversal Sports is an American television network that airs various sports, primarily those contested in the Olympic Games, including swimming, gymnastics, cycling, track and field, figure skating, skiing, bobsledding and triathlon.-Programming:...
, an online subsidiary of NBC Universal, provides live streaming of selected Paralympic Games events (free registration required). - United Kingdom - BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
is providing extensive coverage on television, and online.
In France, following the Games, Philippe Juvin
Philippe Juvin
Philippe Juvin is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament elected in the 2009 European election for the Île-de-France constituency....
, national secretary of the governing Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
, accused national public television network France Télévisions
France Télévisions
France Télévisions is the French public national television broadcaster. It is a state-owned company formed from the bringing together of the public television channels France 2 and France 3 , later joined by the legally independent channels France 5 , France Ô , and France 4 France Télévisions ...
of having practiced "segregation" by providing live coverage of the Beijing Olympics but only ten minute daily summaries of events, outside prime time, for the Beijing Paralympics. France Télévisions replied that it would take Juvin to court for slander.
While the Games were not broadcast live in the United States, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
broadcast a documentary featuring highlights and athlete profiles on November 9, 2008, followed by a week-long series of coverage shown by Universal Sports
Universal Sports
Universal Sports is an American television network that airs various sports, primarily those contested in the Olympic Games, including swimming, gymnastics, cycling, track and field, figure skating, skiing, bobsledding and triathlon.-Programming:...
beginning the day after.
See also
- 2007 Summer Special Olympics
- 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
- 2009 Summer Deaflympics2009 Summer DeaflympicsThe 2009 Summer Deaflympics, officially known as the 21st Summer Deaflympics, is an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from September 5 to September 15, 2009 in Taipei, Republic of China . It is the third Summer Deaflympics to be held in Asia/Pacific region...