The Paralympics, which roll into Rio early next month, might be the best antidote to a few of the less-than-stellar performances by U.S. athletes (we’re looking at you, Ryan Lochte and Hope Solo.) They’re also a point of pride for the U.S., which continues to grow in its offerings of accessible sports. And just so that you can dazzle your sports bar buddies with some great trivia, our friends at the U.S. Paralympics have provided the following numbers:
11: Days of competition (September 7-September 18)
4,350: Number of athletes expected to participate in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (the largest edition of the Games yet)
176-plus: Number of countries expected to compete
528: Number of medal events in Rio
2: Number of new sports in this Paralympics (paracanoe and paratriathlon)
267: The size of the U.S. delegation, making it the largest U.S. team in history
7: Number of guides for visually impaired U.S. athletes (included in the 267 shown above)
17: The percentage of growth of the U.S. Paralympic team over the one that took part in London in 2012
20: The number of sports American athletes will take part in
98: Number of medals USA took home in 2012
4th: Where Team USA placed in the medal count
30: The number of Team USA’s military veterans and active duty service members, some of whom were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan
3: Number of athletes who continue to serve on active duty in the U.S. Army (shooter John Joss, swimmer Elizabeth Marks and archer Michael Lukow.) The Army has the largest representation with 20 athletes. Six athletes served in the Marine Corps, three in the Navy and one in the Air Force. Triathlete Krige Schabort served in the South African Army.
15: Age of youngest Paralympian on Team USA (swimmer McClain Hermes)
64: Age of the oldest team member (sailor Dee Smith)
125: Number of athletes on Team USA with prior Games experience
142: Number of athletes making their Paralympic debut
8: Times cyclist Allison Jones has competed in the Paralympics
43: Number of states (plus the District of Columbia) represented by members of Team USA
29: Number of athletes who call California home
20: Number of Team USA athletes born outside of the U.S (birthplaces include Albania, Canada, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Germany, Iraq, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and Ukraine)
17: Number of Paralympic medals swimmer Jessica Long has amassed, making her the most decorated member of the USA’s delegation
66: Number of track & field athletes (including four guides for the visually impaired), making that the largest sport represented in Team USA.
2: Multi-tasking athletes who will compete in two separate sports (Grace Norman and Allysa Seely will pull double duty as they compete in both paratriathlon and track & field)
2: Athletes who have also competed in the Winter Paralympics and who are now competing in a third Paralympic sport in Rio (Oksana Masters is competing in cycling after previously medaling in rowing and Nordic skiing, while Alana Nichols will make her paracanoe debut after winning gold in wheelchair basketball and alpine skiing.)
43: The difference (in inches) between the tallest Paralympian on Team USA (high jumper Roderick Townsend, at 6’7”) and the shortest (wheelchair basketball player Trevon Jenifer) at 3’ tall.
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