Georgian Paralympic Committee President hails para-athletes’ accomplishments at Paris Paralympics

Rati Ionatamishvili, the President of the Georgian Paralympic Committee, on Thursday hailed the accomplishments of the country’s para-athletes at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, highlighting that the national team had claimed medals in all six sports, with nine out of 14 participants winning, and only two countries, Georgia and China, out of 180 ones had such results at the Summer Paralympics.

In his address at the welcoming ceremony for para-athletes, Ionatamishvili said Georgian athletes had “shown the world how we can fight and unite, how we can support each other and stand up against injustice”, further noting that “our national anthem will be heard many more times” and “the Georgian flag will fly highest [in the future as well]”.

The Paralympic Committee President pointed out that he was “proud” to be “in the service of” para-athletes and “working so that they could strive for the highest achievements”.

“I believe the days you spent in Paris changed much in your lives, but, if you know, you have changed far more in the life of our country and the world. You made a mental revolution in society, shattered every stigma and stereotype, and [...] in 12 days, you have achieved much more than I have done in 25 years since becoming a wheelchair user”, Ionatamishvili noted.

Earlier this week, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that all medallists at the Paralympics Games from the country and their coaches would be nominated for “highest state awards” and would be handed out prize money for medals won by the competitors, similarly to the Olympic team that earned results at the Summer Games earlier this year.