Back to the Olympics Newsfeed

Paralympics entertain bigger-than-expected crowds in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Three weeks ago, organizers and event fans were worried that the 2016 Paralympics would not be well-attended. But when São Paulo resident Marco Fumis arrived at a lively Olympic Park on Saturday, he was blown away with what he saw.

"I'm positively surprised by this," said Fumis. "We are really emotional people, and I think we realized how important it is for not only the Olympics but the Paralympics. A lot of us are here to better understand how these athletes do what they do, so we're here to support."

The fan support is significant.