The 2010 Paralympic Winter Games have opened in the Canadian city of Vancouver. A 15-year-old boy with an amputated leg lit the Olympic flame.

Over 500 disabled athletes from 45 countries are competing in the games' five sports: alpine skiing, biathlon and cross-country skiing, wheelchair curling and ice sledge hockey. The opening ceremony featured some 5,000 performers and was attended by more than 35,000 spectators.

The games, held in Vancouver and in the nearby ski resort of Whistler, began less than two weeks after the Winter Olympics ended there on 28 February. Paralympics organizers are expecting the event will be covered by some 600 journalists. The Olympics drew some 10,000 reporters.

Paralympian winners will receive gold, silver and bronze medals, but will not be awarded the cash prizes enjoyed by Olympic medalists. The Paralympicswill end on Sunday next week.