CBNNews.com - BEIJING - Israeli Olympians participating in the Beijing Paralympics have high hopes of bringing home medals.

Forty-two athletes and 15 coaches traveled to Beijing to compete in swimming, sailing, rowing, track and field, cycling, table tennis, archery, and equestrian events.

Four years ago in the Athens Paralympics, Israeli athletes brought home four gold, four silver and five bronze medals.

Opening night ceremonies featured a ballet performance by a girl who lost a leg in the earthquake in May.

While Olympic organizer Liu Qi spoke of China's dedication to "supporting and helping people with a disability" at the opening ceremonies, the country's human rights abuses are still in the forefront.

"Until the Chinese government tolerates a civil society that operates without threat of official repression and improves ordinary citizens' access to justice, its commitments on paper to people with disabilities will remain limited, said Human Rights Watch Asia director Sophie Richardson.

Source: Haaretz