More than 90 per cent of the country's Paralympic delegation are in Manchester for ten days.

There will be 182 athletes competing for Brazil at the Paralympic Games, with those in Manchester greeted by rain as they arrived this week.

Athletes competing in almost every sport, from boccia to cycling (João Schwindt, right, and Soelito Gohr pictured below training in Manchester) and sitting volleyball, are among those in the city.

"Manchester was chosen not only for high quality sports facilities, but by a fundamental set of supplementary services in an acclimatisation process," said the President of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB), Andrew Parsons.

Manchester Mayor Elaine Boyes welcomed the athletes at a ceremony held at the MacDonald Manchester Hotel.


This is the first time that Brazil is providing an acclimatisation regime before the start of the Paralympics following an agreement made between the CPB and the Ministry of Sports.

The CPB agreed a deal to train at Manchester SportCity (pictured top) and use its facilities back in 2010.

"The floor of the court [we are using] is the same as in the Games and will use it very good, "said Paulo Gilvânia Lima, a sitting volleyball player.

"The first impression was very good.

"The hotel is great, the food is wonderful with Brazilian flavour."

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