Azernews.Az

National Paralympic Committee of Azerbaijan has named 22 athletes who will compete at the Paralympics to be held from August 29 to September 9 in London.

The Azerbaijani team at the fourteenth 2012 Summer Paralympic Games includes prominent athletes - two-time Paralympic champion Ilham Zakiev (judo, 100 kg), and 2008 Paralympic champion Olohan Musaev (shot-put).

The national team is dominated by wrestlers and athletes. Among the wrestlers are Kerim Sardarov, Tofig Mammadov, Rovshan Safarov, Bayram Mustafayev, Ramin Ibrahimov and Afaq Sultanova.

The delegation includes champion of the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens Oleg Panyutin (long jump) as well as Elchin Muradov, Rza Osmanov, Vladimir Zayats, Hussein Hasanov, Madinat Abdullaeva and Samir Nabiev.

The team also includes powerlifters Maharram Aliyev and Elshan Huseynov, archer Zinyat Veliyeva, swimmer Natali Pronina and archers Elena Taranova and Akber Muradov.

Azerbaijan made its Paralympic Games debut at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, USA with a two-man delegation to compete in track and field and powerlifting. It has taken part in every subsequent edition of the Summer Paralympics, but has never participated in the Winter Paralympics.

Azerbaijani athletes have won a total of 15 Paralympic medals (four gold, five silver and six bronze medals). All of the medals have been claimed in track and field, shooting and judo.

Azerbaijan's biggest success came in 2008, with a total of ten medals.

The 2012 Olympics has already been regarded as "happy and glorious" by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge and those sentiments will apply equally to the Paralympics, which should provide a perfect ending to a remarkable summer celebration of sports.

With 4,200 competitors from 165 countries the 2012 Paralympics is one of the biggest sporting events worldwide this year and, with tickets still selling, is expected to be watched live by 2.5 million spectators.

Fifteen nations will be making their debuts at the tournament and there will be 499 gold medals to be garnered from the 21 sports, from archery and athletics to swimming, track cycling, sailing, shooting and a wide range of equestrian disciplines.

Other sports such as boccia, a variation of bowls, and goalball, a ball game for the blind, will be less familiar and are unique to the Paralympics.