Pan Am fever in Toronto did not end with Kanye West tossing his microphone in frustration during the closing ceremonies on July 28. After a 10-day Games hiatus, the Parapan Am Games pick up on Friday night where their multi-sport Pan Am brothers left off.
Since 1999, the Parapan Am Games have given a platform for talented athletes with physical disabilities from North and South America. Friday night’s opening ceremonies at the Athletics Stadium at York University will usher in nine days of competition across 16 different sports with an estimated 1,500 athletes taking part.
Look beyond the numbers, though, and you will see an event that is pretty damn entertaining. These are athletes who move fast, hit hard and play tough in their bid for both medals and national supremacy. For those of you who got caught up in Pan Am excitement just as tickets were growing scarce, here are some Parapan Am event highlights to look out for so that you don’t make that mistake again:
Wheelchair Rugby
Every bit as rough and aggressive as able-bodied rugby, the sport’s legend was cemented with the release of the gritty 2005 documentary “Murderball”, which doubles as the term of reference used by those familiar with the sport. That’s right, a sport known as murderball will be played at the Parapan Am Games. In this fast-paced, full contact, mixed gender sport, you vie to take the ball to the opposing goal line while your opponents do everything in their power to stop you.
Panamania Returns
August 7 sees Nathan Phillips Square become cool again with the return of Panamania, the arts and culture festival that brought live music to the square every night of Pan Ams. Over the duration of Parapans, visitors will be treated to the likes of Chromeo, The Roots, Janelle Monae and Jann Arden, all with the now-iconic Toronto sign looming large.
Sitting Volleyball
Volleyball, particularly of the beach variety, was one of the most popular sports during the Pan Am Games. Parapan Am brings the same level of speed and excitement to volleyball, albeit with a lower sightline for spectators. With six participants a side sitting on either end of a net that is one metre high, each point brings about a chaotic mess of butt-shuffling, attacking play and desperation defence.
The Ceremonies
We learned with the opening and closing of the Pan Am Games that Toronto sure can put together a spectacle. There’s still more to come, though, as Parapan Am fans are treated to an entirely open air opening ceremonies at York University and, later, a closing ceremonies shrouded in mysterious intrigue and set against the iconic backdrop of Nathan Phillips Square. While the opening ceremonies will surely be meaningful for all athletes marching into the stadium, the closing ceremonies are already stoking the collective curiosities of fans and athletes, alike, by promising not just Cirque du Soleil, but also a surprise guest musical performance. They may not quite match the Q rating of Kanye West, but the Games have delivered and this should be no different.
