ATHENS, which hosted the Summer Olympics, was at it again, this time welcoming the 12th Paralympic Games for disabled athletes with a spectacular opening ceremony on Friday in the Olympic Stadium. Close to 4,000 athletes, representing a record number 136 nations, paraded. A tree, 25 metres tall, and a replica of the sun along with the basic elements of nature (water, fire, earth and wind) were part of the simple and anthropocentric ceremony. Afroditi Simiti, Giannis Zouganelis and Sophia Roboli were the masters of ceremony. Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos declared the opening of the Games, while the President of Athens 2004, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, and the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Phil Craven, addressed the public. The Paralympic flame was lit by Georgios Toptsis, a Greek long jumper. The lighting of the stadium's cauldron signalled the start of the Games which are to last 11 days. China led the standings early on with 16 medals, eight of them gold. Spain and Germany were tied for second place with 14 apiece, including five gold medals each. Egypt entered the championship with a 65-member squad in volleyball, power lifting, athletics and table tennis. Egyptian athletes collected 28 medals in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. Finishing 23rd out of 123 nations, they put the country smack on the international sports map, Egypt bagging six gold medals, 11 silver and 11 bronze.
