Moldova at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Moldova first appeared in Paralympic competition at the 1996 Summer Paralympics. They have competed in every Summer Paralympic Games since, making Rio de Janeiro its sixth appearance at a Summer Paralympiad.{{cite web|title=Moldova at the Paralympic Games|url=https://www.paralympic.org/sdms4/hira/web/country/moldova|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|access-date=17 March 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190317211048/https://www.paralympic.org/sdms4/hira/web/country/moldova|archive-date=17 March 2019|url-status=live}} They have never participated in the Winter Paralympic Games, but have won two medals (one each in athletics and table tennis) at the Summer Paralympics. The 2016 Summer Paralympics were held from 7–18 September 2016 with a total of 4,328 athletes representing 159 National Paralympic Committees taking part.{{cite web|url=https://www.paralympic.org/rio-2016|title=Rio 2016|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|access-date=16 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720033214/https://www.paralympic.org/rio-2016|archive-date=20 July 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} Shot put thrower Oxana Spataur, powerlifter Larisa Marinenkova and short-distance swimmer Alexandr Covaliov were the three athletes selected by Moldova to compete in Rio de Janeiro.{{cite news|title=Trei sportivi vor reprezenta Moldova la Jocurile Paralimpice de la Rio|url=https://www.timpul.md/articol/trei-sportivi-vor-reprezenta-moldova-la-jocurile-paralimpice-de-la-rio--97002.html|work=Timpul de dimineață|language=ro|date=30 August 2016|access-date=17 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190317203658/https://www.timpul.md/articol/trei-sportivi-vor-reprezenta-moldova-la-jocurile-paralimpice-de-la-rio--97002.html|archive-date=17 March 2019|url-status=live}} They travelled to Brazil on 2 September.{{cite news|last=Gutu|first=Marina|title=Sportivii moldoveni sunt încurajaţi înainte de a pleca la Rio|url=http://www.canal2.md/news/sportivii-moldoveni-sunt-incurajati-inainte-de-pleca-la-rio_51113.html|publisher=Canal 2|language=ro|date=1 September 2016|access-date=17 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904031213/http://www.canal2.md/news/sportivii-moldoveni-sunt-incurajati-inainte-de-pleca-la-rio_51113.html|archive-date=4 September 2016|url-status=dead}} Marinenkova was selected as the flag bearer for the parade of nations during the opening ceremony.{{cite web|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/news/full-list-of-flag-bearers-for-opening-ceremony-of-rio-2016-paralympic-games|title=Full list of flag bearers for opening ceremony of Rio 2016 Paralympic Games|date=7 September 2016|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915144043/https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/news/full-list-of-flag-bearers-for-opening-ceremony-of-rio-2016-paralympic-games|archive-date=15 September 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=12 September 2016|agency=Paralympic News Service}}

{{main|Disability sport classification}}

Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/03/2354016.htm?site=paralympics/2008|title=Paralympics categories explained|last=McGarry|first=Andrew|date=3 September 2008|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912225056/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/03/2354016.htm?site=paralympics%2F2008|archive-date=12 September 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=25 December 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics2000/paralympics/959701.stm|title=Making sense of the categories|date=6 October 2000|access-date=25 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528052125/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics2000/paralympics/959701.stm|archive-date=28 May 2008|url-status=live|publisher=BBC Sport}} Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities, other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/7586684.stm|title=A-Z of Paralympic classification|date=28 August 2008|access-date=25 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301172843/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/7586684.stm|archive-date=1 March 2009|url-status=live|publisher=BBC Sport}}

{{main|Athletics at the 2016 Summer Paralympics}}

Oxana Spataru was 18 years old at the time of the Rio Summer Paralympic Games and the youngest athlete to compete for Moldova.{{cite news|title=Oxana Spătaru vrea să aducă o medalie de la Jocurile Paralimpice de la Rio|url=http://www.publika.md/oxana-spataru-vrea-sa-aduca-o-medalie-de-la-jocurile-paralimpice-de-la-rio_2728581.html|publisher=Publika TV|language=ro|date=31 August 2016|access-date=17 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903082707/http://www.publika.md/oxana-spataru-vrea-sa-aduca-o-medalie-de-la-jocurile-paralimpice-de-la-rio_2728581.html|archive-date=3 September 2016|url-status=live}} These Rio Summer Games were her first time competing in the Paralympic movement. Spataru's disability is congenital; she is of short stature, measuring {{Convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall,{{cite news|title=Om mic cu scopuri inalte. Povestea Oxanei, tanara de 18 ani, din Hancesti, care a reprezentat tara noastra la Jocurile Paralimpice de la Rio – Video|url=http://protv.md/stiri/social/om-mic-cu-scopuri-inalte---1632851.html|publisher=ProTV Chișinău|language=ro|date=9 September 2016|access-date=17 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010180337/http://protv.md/stiri/social/om-mic-cu-scopuri-inalte---1632851.html|archive-date=10 October 2016|url-status=live}} and took up powerlifting at the age of 14. She qualified for the Paralympics by finishing fourth in the women's shot put competition at the 2016 IPC Athletics European Championships. Spataru trained for the Paralympics in a gymnasium at a specialist school. On 11 September, Spataru participated in the women's shot put F40 category.{{cite news|last=Burdujan|first=Radu|title=Rio 2016: Oxana Spătaru, pe locul zece la proba de aruncare a greutății|url=http://agora.md/stiri/22354/rio-2016-oxana-spataru--pe-locul-zece-la-proba-de-aruncare-a-greutatii|publisher=Agora|language=ro|date=12 September 2016|access-date=17 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915115031/http://agora.md/stiri/22354/rio-2016-oxana-spataru--pe-locul-zece-la-proba-de-aruncare-a-greutatii|archive-date=15 September 2016|url-status=live}} She recorded marks of {{Convert|4.02|m|ft|abbr=on}}, {{Convert|3.93|m|ft|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|3.88|m|ft|abbr=on}}, the first of which was a personal best for Spataru and it ranked her tenth and last out of all the competing athletes.

{{main|Powerlifting at the 2016 Summer Paralympics}}

At the age of 39, Larisa Marinenkova was the oldest athlete to represent Moldova at the Rio Paralympics. She was competing in the Paralympic Games for the third time, having represented Moldova at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Paralympics. Marinenkvoa has been affected by cerebral palsy since childhood, resulting in permanent muscle weakness, and works as an engineer at a state-owned enterprise.{{cite news|last1=Viţu|first1=Valeria|title="Mi-aș dori ca Jocurile Paralimpice să fie depolitizate" Interviu Audio|url=http://www.rfi.ro/sport-89374-jocurile-paralimpice-rio-moldova-Larisa-Marinenkova|access-date=14 November 2017|publisher=RFI România|date=7 September 2016|language=ro}} She attained qualification to the Games by the Paralympic Committee of Moldova being granted an invitation for Marinenkova by the Bipartite Commission to allow her to compete after she did not meet the qualifying standards for powerlifting.{{Cite news|date=2 September 2016|title=Paralimpiada de la Rio: a fost desemnat portdrapelul Republicii Moldova|language=ro|work=Timpul|url=https://www.timpul.md/articol/paralimpiada-de-la-rio-a-fost-desemnat-portdrapelul-republicii-moldova-97136.html|access-date=15 March 2021}} Marinenkova said that she had "great expectations" for her performance and she wanted to improve on her non-finish from the 2012 Paralympic Games. On 12 September, she competed in the women's 73kg powerlifting category. Marinenkova failed to lift {{Convert|80|kg|lb|abbr=on}} at her first attempt but succeeded on the second try. She lifted {{Convert|90|kg|lb|abbr=on}} on her third attempt and this put her seventh and last out of all competitors.{{cite web|title=Powerlifting: Women's −73 kg — Final Results|url=https://www.paralympic.org/static/info/rio-2016/resIPC/pdf/PG2016/PO/PG2016_PO_C73_POW073000.pdf|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|date=12 September 2016|access-date=18 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423163202/https://www.paralympic.org/static/info/rio-2016/resIPC/pdf/PG2016/PO/PG2016_PO_C73_POW073000.pdf|archive-date=23 April 2018|url-status=live}}

{{main|Swimming at the 2016 Summer Paralympics}}

Alexandr Covaliov was taking part in his first Summer Paralympic Games and he was the sole male athlete to compete on Moldova's behalf in Rio. He was aged 32 at the time of the Games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.paralympic.org/asp/lib/TheASP.asp?pageid=8937&sportid=514&personid=1521281&WinterGames=-1|title=Alexandr Covaliov – Athlete Bio|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|access-date=18 March 2019}}{{dead link|date=February 2024}} He lost his vision in an accident that burned his eyes at the age of 16 and he took up swimming to aid in his recovery. Covaliov qualified for the Paralympics by receiving an invitation from the Bipartite Commission.{{Cite web|url=https://www.paralympic.org/sites/default/files/document/160808102714129_2016_08_08+Slot+allocation_final_3.pdf|title=Calculation of Swimming Slots for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games|date=2016|publisher=International Paralympic Committee|access-date=26 February 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916054021/https://www.paralympic.org/sites/default/files/document/160808102714129_2016_08_08+Slot+allocation_final_3.pdf|archive-date=16 September 2016|df=dmy-all}} On 12 September, he took part in the men's 50 metres freestyle S11 category.{{Cite web|url=https://rio.sportschau.de/rio2016/paralympics/Schwimmen-50-m-Freistil-S11-sehbehindert-Maenner,wettbewerbriodejaneiroschwimmen290.html|title=Schwimmen, 50 m Freistil, S11 – sehbehindert, Männer|date=12 September 2016|publisher=Sportschau|language=de|access-date=18 March 2019}} Assigned to heat one, Covaliov completed the race in 33.30 seconds, which put him eighth and last out of all swimmers in his heat. As only the top eight advanced to the final, he was eliminated because he came sixteenth and last overall. Three days later, Covaliov participated in the men's 100 metre freestyle S11 class and was drawn to heat two.{{Cite web|url=https://rio.sportschau.de/rio2016/paralympics/Schwimmen-100-m-Freistil-S11-sehbehindert-Maenner,wettbewerbriodejaneiroschwimmen178.html|title=Schwimmen, 100 m Freistil, S11 – sehbehindert, Männer|date=16 September 2016|publisher=Sportschau|language=de|access-date=18 March 2019|archive-date=17 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117064131/https://rio.sportschau.de/rio2016/paralympics/Schwimmen-100-m-Freistil-S11-sehbehindert-Maenner,wettbewerbriodejaneiroschwimmen178.html|url-status=dead}} He finished seventh and last with a time of 1 minute and 18.06 seconds. This ranked Covaliov 13th and last overall and his competition came to an end since the competition's format allowed only the top four in its two heats to progress to the final.

• Moldova at the 2016 Summer Olympics

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Category:Nations at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

2016

Category:2016 in Moldova