RIO PARALYMPIC GAMES
When: Wednesday-Sept. 18
Where: Rio de Janeiro
Who: More than 4,350 athletes, the most in Paralympics history, from 176 countries
Sports: 22, with 528 medal events. Canoe and triathlon make their Paralympic debuts in Rio.
TV: More than 70 hours of Paralympics coverage — the most in history — will be broadcast on NBC, NBCSN and the NBC Sports app. Coverage begins with Wednesday's opening ceremony (6 p.m., NBCSN). NBCSN will show blocks of Paralympics programming during most days of the Games from 1-4 p.m., 6-8 p.m. and midnight-4 a.m. For a full schedule, go to www.nbc.com. The U.S. Olympic Committee also will provide live online coverage at www.teamusa.org.
THE MINNESOTANS
The U.S. will send its largest-ever Paralympic delegation — 289, including nine guides for visually impaired competitors — to the Rio Games. The roster includes a dozen athletes with Minnesota ties.
Chuck Aoki, Minneapolis, wheelchair rugby: A two-time Paralympian and longtime member of the U.S. national team, Aoki won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Paralympics and was also part of U.S. teams that won gold and bronze medals at the world championships.
Sean Boyle, Minneapolis, soccer: Boyle, a Minneapolis native who attends San Jose State, is one of two goalkeepers for the U.S. team and will participate in his first Paralympics.
Ben Goodrich, St. Paul, judo: After several years as a wrestler, Goodrich took up judo in 2011 while attending the University of Minnesota and was the 2015 U.S. champion in the 100-kilogram class for visually impaired men.
Rose Hollermann, Elysian, wheelchair basketball: A fixture on the U.S. women's team since she was a young teen, Hollermann was part of the 2012 team that finished fourth at the London Paralympics and has won three gold medals in international competition.
Ian Lynch, Brooklyn Park, wheelchair basketball: Lynch helped the U.S. win a bronze medal at the 2012 Paralympics and a silver at the 2014 world championships.
Aaron Pike, Park Rapids, track and field: After competing at the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Nordic skiing and biathlon, Pike — a distance specialist who has twice medaled at the Twin Cities Marathon-- made his second Summer Paralympic team.
Jon Rydberg, Woodbury, wheelchair tennis: The girls' tennis coach at East Ridge High School has long been among the top wheelchair tennis players in the world and will play in his fourth Paralympics. He won a silver medal at the 2015 Parapan American Games.
Lexi Shiflett, Waseca, sitting volleyball: Shiflett, who had her right foot amputated as an infant, played volleyball and softball for four years at Waseca High School and made the Paralympic team for the first time.
Natalie Sims, Edina, swimming: A member of the Minneapolis Otters swim team, Sims made the Paralympic team for the first time and will race in four events in Rio.
Shaun Tichenor, Brainerd, shooting: A U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class who lost his right leg while deployed in Afghanistan, Tichenor is part of the Army Marksmanship Unit and will compete in sport pistol and air pistol in his first Paralympics.
Josh Turek, Southwest Minnesota State, wheelchair basketball: Turek, from Council Bluffs, Iowa, is a three-time Paralympian who played wheelchair basketball at Southwest State, where he was a four-time All-American and is the program's all-time leading scorer (4,024 points).
Mallory Weggemann, Eagan, swimming: A gold and bronze medalist at the 2012 London Paralympics, Weggemann worked her way back from a serious arm injury in 2014 to make the team for Rio in seven events.
RACHEL BLOUNT
