National para-athletes to join international festival in Minsk

29 July 2016 10:56 (UTC+04:00)

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By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan’s Paralympic athletes will participate in an international Paralympic Festival in Minsk, Belarus on August 2-7.

Bahar Shikhiyeva will compete in bowling competition, while Vusale Karimova and Farid Mehdiyev will vie for medals in wheelchair dance event.

The National Paralympic Committee of Azerbaijan established in 1996, is expanding within the country, bringing together hundreds of athletes. The Committee is developing 12 of the 19 Paralympic sports. By the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, two sports will also be added to them.

Azerbaijan’s Paralympic athletes will also vie for medals at the 15th Summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 2016 Summer Olympics is due to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 5-21. More than 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees will take part in RIO 2016.

The world's biggest sporting event will feature 42 sports and Azerbaijan has secured qualifications in wrestling, gymnastics, rowing, boxing, taekwondo, athletics, weightlifter and in Paralympics sports.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova