Meet the world's Paralympic athletes
Melissa Stockwell
USA, Triathlon
Stockwell was the first Iraq War veteran chosen for the Paralympics.
She lost her left leg when a roadside bomb exploded when she was leading a convoy in Baghdad in 2004.
She was the U.S. Team's flag bearer at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.
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Alex Zinardi
Italy, Cycling
Zanardi was professional Formula One and prominent motorsports driver.
His legs were amputated after a devastating racing crash in 2001.
As a result, he switched sports and first represented Italy in cycling and winning gold at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London.
Zahra Nemati
Iran, Archery
Nemati was a black belt in taekwondo before being injured in a car accident that paralyzed her legs in 2003.
She took up archery and within six months, she had finished third in the National Championships against able bodied athletes.
She made history by qualifying for both the 2016 Paralympics and the 2016 Olympics in Rio for archery.
Ibrahim Al-Hussein
Refugee, Swimming
In 2013, Al-Hussein lost part of his right leg trying to help a friend who was hit by a bomb and being injured himself.
He went to Turkey to look for recovery options and flee war in Syria.
He was confined to home before taking a year to learn to walk again.
In 2016, para-athletes who have been displaced from their home country will be able to compete in the Paralympics for the first time.
Matt Stutzman
USA, Archery
Stutzman was born without arms and had to learn to do everything one might normally do with one's arms with his feet.
He is currently also the world record holder for longest accurate shot in archery, earning him the title of the 'Armless Archer'.
He uses feet and shoulder to point and shoot his bow and arrow.
Click through the gallery to see photos form the Paralympics Opening Ceremony:
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