Mar 8, 2014

Sochi, Russia hosts the 2014 Paralympic Games from March 7-16. 547 athletes from 45 countries will take part in the games which opened with ceremony full of performances, a parade of athletes, fireworks, and the lighting of the Olympic flame.

: Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: Artists perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

: A performer takes part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters photo)

: Artists perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

: Ramil Gayazov of Uzbekistan carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Jorge Migueles of Chile carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: The Paralympic flag is carried during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

: Fireworks erupt during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

: A general view is seen of fireworks over Fisht Olympic Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

: Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: The Swiss team during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Christoph Kunz of Switzerland bears a flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Jalle Jungnell of Sweden bears a flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Russian athletes carry the Paralympic flag during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: The Paralympic flag is raised during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: The Paralympic flag (Left), is seen besides the Russian national flag during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters photo)

: The Paralympic flag flies next to the Russia flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: A general view of the Olympic cauldron after the flame was lit at the end of the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Harry Engels/Getty Images)

: A general view of the Agitos in front of the Olympic flame after it was lit at the end of the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Harry Engels/Getty Images)

: Andrea Chiarotti of Italy bears the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Nordic skier Pablo Javier Robledo of Argentina bears the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: A giant ice breaker ship enters the arena carrying Russian soprano Maria Guleghina during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ian Walton/Getty Images)

: Ballet dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

: Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: Dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. ( Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Ballerinas dance during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ian Walton/Getty Images)

: Artists perform in the Fisht Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on March 7, 2014. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/Getty Images)

: Hockey player Seung-Hwan Jung of South Korea during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Mykailo Tkachenko of Ukraine bears the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Flag bearer Mykailo Tkachenko of the Ukraine enters the arena during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. The rest of the Ukraine team refused to enter the arena as a protest against the present political tension between Ukraine and Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Mykailo Tkachenko of Ukraine bears the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: Dancers form a ‘fluttering’ Russian flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

: China’s flag-bearer Tian Ye (Center), leads his country’s contingent during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters photo)

: Paralympic torch bearers wave to the crowd during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Torch bearers carry the flame into the arena during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ian Walton/Getty Images)

: Four-time track and field Paralympic champion and record-holder Aleksey Ashapatov of Russia (Right), hands the torch to his compatriot and Paralympic champion Olga Semenova, during in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters photo)

: Paralympic torchbearer Aleksey Ashapatov enters the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Jonathan Lujan of United States carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

: Team USA arrive during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Team USA arrive during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Team USA arrive during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Germany’s delegation enters the Fisht Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on March 7, 2014. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/Getty Images)

: An icebreaker ship called ‘Peace’ carries the Paralympic and Russian flags during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: Russian soprano Maria Guleghina performs during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

: Artists representing characters from the stories of Anton Chekov perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ian Walton/Getty Images)

: Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: Canada’s Athletes take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters photo)

: Dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of XI Paralympic Olympic games at the Fisht Olympic Stadium close to city of Sochi on March 7, 2014. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/Getty Images)

: Norway’s flag-bearer Mariann Marthinsen (Left), leads his country’s contingent during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters photo)

: Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters photo)

: Performers representing ‘Firebirds’ fly above the arena during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ian Walton/Getty Images)

: Japan enters the arena during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

: Japan enters the arena during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

: Alpine skier Millie Knight of Great Britain bears the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images)

: Great Britain enters the arena lead by flag bearer Millie Knight during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: A general view is seen of fireworks over Fisht Olympic Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

: Jakub Krako of Slovakia carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Olympic Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

: New Zealand enters the arena lead by flag bearer Adam Hall during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Mexico enters the arena lead by flag bearer Arly Velasquez during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games at Fisht Stadium on March 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

: Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 7, 2014. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters photo)

: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (Left) talks to International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach after the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexei Nikolsky/Reuters photo)

: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (Right, top) and other officials watch the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014. (Alexei Nikolsky/Reuters photo)

2014 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony

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