Simply reaching the start line is a triumph for troubled Games

We had the keys to the lock, then the lock changed

IT IS 19 days since Sir Philip Craven, head of the International Paralympic Committee, was forced to hold a press conference to confirm these Games would even go ahead.

It was, he said, the biggest challenge in the 56-year history of the movement just to reach last night’s opening ceremony.

So discussing Jonnie Peacock attempting to defend his T44 100 metres title today and American wheelchair racing superstar Tatyana McFadden beginning her search for seven gold medals — from 100m to the marathon — felt like a triumph in itself.

‘It’s going to be a blast,’ insisted Sir Philip. But it almost did not happen at all. Brazil is in the grip of a deepening political and economic crisis and money was taken by the Rio 2016 organising committee from the Paralympic pot to get the Olympics over the line, leaving a gaping funding shortfall with time fast running out.

It was feared some nations would not be able to attend because travel grants had not been paid.

An entire complex of venues — the Deodoro campus which hosted the equestrian, BMX and other events during the Olympics — was scrapped, while sweeping cuts were made to transport and the workforce.

‘We thought we had keys to the lock, then the lock changed and we couldn’t find the keys,’ said Sir Philip. ‘I had three hours of sleep on average every night for 22 days during the Olympics.

‘If you’ve got a problem, don’t let us know about it six or seven weeks before the Paralympic Games because that’s just ridiculous. That would be my criticism of Rio 2016. We were facing unprecedented difficulties but over the past two weeks I have seen unprecedented teamwork.’

By going public with his concerns, Sir Philip, a straight-talking 66-year-old from Bolton with a fondness for cricket and apple trees — as he repeatedly reminded a congregation of the world’s media yesterday — forced intervention from the federal government.

Travel grants arrived in bank accounts yester- day, meaning 159 countries and two refugee athletes will compete over the next 11 days in 22 sports. It might not look quite as it should, with a notable shortage of Paralympic branding and their Agitos logo not as prominent as the Olympic rings last month but it seems, by hook or by crook, they will get this show on the road. If cycling team-mate Megan Giglia does not beat her to it, Sarah Storey (below) could begin what is expected to be a record-breaking gold rush for Great Britain, with the team expected to follow their Olympic counterparts by dominating in the velodrome. If she can win a 12th gold, her third consecutive title in the C5 pursuit, Storey will stand alone, above Tanni GreyThompson, as Britain’s most decorated female Paralympian. Storey, alongside David Weir, Hannah Cockroft and Ellie Simmonds, is one of a handful of household names going for gold and could soon be joined by the likes of runner Sophie Hahn, 13- year- old swimmer Abbie Kane and table tennis star Will Bayley. Storey began her Paralympic career as a swimmer, winning two golds, three silvers and a bronze at Barcelona in 1992 and can scarcely believe her longevity.

Storey, now 38, said: ‘ For me, Tanni will always be on a pedestal so it’s very strange. When I finished in Barcelona and went home and started my GCSEs, I knew I wanted to carry on until Atlanta and I got my A-level results poolside.

‘I went to university and had a horrendous build-up to Sydney, with chronic fatigue syndrome. But I knew I had more to give. I changed sports after Athens and it’s hard to believe I’m better at cycling than I was at swimming. I’d have expected to be married with five kids by now. I’m married with one.’

Husband Barney and three-year- old daughter Louisa are with her in Rio. She is one of a number of mothers in the British team including Jeanette Chippington, 46, a former swimmer who retired from sport for more than a decade before taking up canoeing and is now favourite to win gold in the K1 200m.

As a sporting event the Paralympics can effect more social change than any other and every athlete seemingly has the ability to inspire with rich stories of triumph over adversity. Cyclist Jon-Allan Butter--- worth, one of 11 former servicemen in the British team, insisted losing his left arm in a rocket attack in Basra in 2007 was the best thing that ever happened to him because of the opportunities it has afforded him, not least being a full-time athlete.

Cast a glance across the international competitors and the incredible stories multiply. The most heartrending belongs to Marieke Vervoot, a 37-year- old Belgian wheelchair racer for whom Rio is a final frontier in the most literal sense. After competing here in the T52 100m and 400m, she is considering ending her life, so agonising is the pain of an incurable spinal disease.

‘I’m considering euthanasia,’ she said. ‘I suffer greatly, sometimes sleeping only 10 minutes a night — and still I go for the gold. Rio is my last wish.’

It is to be hoped Vervoot and her peers draw the crowds they deserve. There have been 1.65million tickets sold, the second most for any Paralympics and on Wednesday last week alone, 143,000 tickets went, the highest number in one day for any South American sporting event.

Many have been bought by wealthy benefactors like Prince Harry and will be distributed to those who could not afford them, but whether it translates to bums on seats is a different issue.

One notable absentee will be Thomas Bach, who last night became the first president of the International Olympic Committee for 32 years not to attend a Paralympics opening ceremony. Later it was revealed that Bach will not attend any of the Paralympics. He claimed he would not be there because of a state event in his native Germany but Brazilian police have said they wish to talk to him about a ticketing scandal in which Irish IOC member Pat Hickey is also implicated.

There were suggestions there has also been a cooling of relations between the IOC and the IPC since the latter had the courage to enforce a complete ban on Russian athletes in Rio after state- sponsored doping in the country was exposed.

It was a move to be commended and means Great Britain, who finished third behind Russia on the medal table at London 2012, are poised to exceed their total of 120 medals, including 34 golds, in their absence.

While the packed stadiums and almost seamless organisation of London 2012 might not be reenacted here, the performances of the 4,342 athletes in Rio will be no less impressive.