[Dansk version]

Danish Paralympic logo - Sydney 2000

Paralympic Games - Sydney 2000
18.-29. October, Sydney, Australia

The colsing ceremony of the 11th Paralympic Games started with a gigatic fireworks! Much more spectacular than the one at the opening ceremony! Then Kerry Gail sang the Australian anthem - "Advance Australian Fair" followed by Graeme Connors singing "Being here". Now was the time to bring all the nations flag in. John "Piskeris" Petersson carried the Danish flag in his last Pralympics as an athlete! On the big monitors a speedy flah of the opening ceremony took place! Then 'The roofwalk' appeared - very originally! A man walked with his head down! Or did he? After all - we were DOWN-UNDER, leadving the question: who was upside-down? No matter what - it was brilliant! The man sang the national anthem backwards, got dressed backwards...funny! It was time for yet a flashback: The Constructions - the events - the handover - the Atlanta presentations = approx. 30 seconds, like a musicvideo - you never get to see what's going on really! With the Atlanta presentation in mind bikers dressed with a kangaroo on their back drove around in the Stadium. The official speakers had made their way to the stage: Sir William Deane, General Govenor, and Dr. Robert Steadman, International Paralympic Committee. Last mentioned closed the 11th Paralympic Games!. There was a little fireworks before the flame in the cauldron slowly dissappeared! Next ceremonial moment: Athens, Greece, was handed the Paralympic Flag and the charm to promote the Paralympics in Athens 2004 began! A giant choir was singing, very beautifully! With Lizzie - the Sydney 2000 Paralympics mascot - leading the way a lot of kids entered the Stadium, followed by plastic ball filled with balloons coloured as each of the nations flag. One ball = one nation. Slowly they went on to the green part of the Stadium, left the plastic balls and ran out. Only to come back a few minutes later bringing the Paralympians! Everything was accompanied by some rock, country, hilli-billy, what-ever music so loud...! The audience was given white balloons at the entrance and the air was filled with them... That's when Yours Truly had had enough! Thanks - it was fun........! is over - See you in Athens 2004!

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