The Israeli delegation which consists of 42 athletes with physical disabilities, will compete in 11 different sports: athletics, bicycle, rowing, tennis, table tennis, basketball, shooting, sailing, swimming, horseback riding and archery.The opening ceremony of the Paralympics Games will take place on Saturday September 6, 2008 at 15:00 Israel time.
All the tournaments will take place in the same facilities of the Olympic Games.
Israel in the Paralympics Games
Israel has started her participation in the Paralympics games at Rome 1960 where she won 3 gold medals 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals.Ever since then, Israel has participated in 11 Paralympics games where she won a total of 87 gold medals and dozens of silver and bronze medals.
Recently there has been a big progress in the Paralympics games around the world, which in turn became very professional.
Due to this fact and to financial difficulties that disabled Israeli athletes face, causes a regression in the amount of athletes.
In the last few years the association took under its wing the Paralympics athletes and helped financially and gave them help benefits. The association with the leadership of Danny Ben Abu, has acted on obtaining finances from economy companies with the intention to reward the athletes and to compensate for their major investments each athlete puts out of his or her own money and time to practice.