The Paralympic Games: Chileans travel to Bejing with visions of gold

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SANTIAGO.- Full of hope and with their goals clearly in sight, the large group of Chilean representatives will set out for Beijing at 7:00PM on September 1st to participate in the XIII Paralympics, which is scheduled to take place from the 6th to 17th of September at the same athletic facilities where the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were held.

Chilean athletes will participate in three of the twenty events that will be included in the competition.

Tennis will be the first sport to feature a Chilean competitor in Beijing, with Robinson Méndez and Francisco Cayulef taking part in the first round of singles and doubles.

Track will also include a Chilean athlete, thanks to Cristián Valenzuela, who will enter the Astroturf at the "Birds Nest Stadium" to compete in the 1,500 meter race.

Meanwhile, swimming will conclude Chile's participation when Macarena Quero takes part in the S-10 category 50-meter freestyle swim race at the "Water Cube" on September 14th.

Also representing Chile in Beijing will be the President of the Paralympic Federation of Chile, Mario Quijada; the Mission Chief of this year's Games, Patricio Bowen, as well as Doctor Alberto Vargas.