A moment displaying the Paralympic spirit has become a beacon for the beleaguered Rio Paralympic Games after they were kicked off at the Maracanã Stadium Wednesday under a torrential downpour.
As a part of the torch relay, Brazilian Paralympian Marcia Malsar, who has won a gold medal in track and field, carried the torch towards its final destination but slipped and fell backwards, dropping the flame.
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Malsar, who was walking with the aid of a cane, got back up (with the help of a couple of technicians) and finished her section of the relay to a roaring crowd that stood up and cheered on the athlete.
She has since been hailed on social media for her resilience.
Malsar is a four-time Paralympic medalist, winning Brazil’s first-ever Paralympic gold medal at the 1984 New York-Stoke Mandeville Games in the 200-metre race.