0:00:12 > 0:00:14Good afternoon!
0:00:14 > 0:00:18Ricky here with your final Newsround update for today.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21And we're going all out for the Winter Paralympics.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25It's set to be the largest staging of the event, with a record
0:00:25 > 0:00:27567 athletes competing.
0:00:27 > 0:00:34Here are some of the highlights from today's opening ceremony.
0:00:34 > 0:00:46And we're off! We start with dancers performing a traditional dance.
0:00:46 > 0:00:54Recognise this lot? Paralympics GB are in the house.
0:00:54 > 0:01:00After all the competing countries enter, the stadium is taken over by
0:01:00 > 0:01:07kids, who are having a good old party. And no party in South Korea
0:01:07 > 0:01:17is complete without kapok. -- kapok. Here we go, the moment everybody has
0:01:17 > 0:01:30been waiting for. The Paralympic flame is lit. Let the games begin!
0:01:30 > 0:01:31Looks amazing, doesn't it?
0:01:31 > 0:01:38Well, Kate Grey is in PyeongChang for BBC Sport, and sent us this.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43It was less than two weeks ago that the Olympics drew to a close in
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Pyeongchang and now it is the turn of the Paralympics. The crowd was
0:01:47 > 0:01:53treated to a spectacular opening ceremony of dancing, fireworks and
0:01:53 > 0:01:57snowboarding bears. Looking ahead today one of the Paralympics
0:01:57 > 0:02:02tomorrow, there is plenty of British interest. Millie Knight and Menna
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Fitzpatrick goal in the downhill. They will be hot favourites for
0:02:06 > 0:02:12medals. Scott Meenagh will be going in the Nordic skiing. The first time
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Britain have been represented in 20 years. The wheelchair curlings will
0:02:16 > 0:02:19begin their campaign. A lot to look forward to.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Team GB are taking part in five sports at the games
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and have an ambitious target to meet, aiming to scoop
0:02:24 > 0:02:28between six and 12 medals.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Kate just mentioned one of Britain s big medal hopefuls,
0:02:30 > 0:02:31visually impaired skier Millie Knight.
0:02:31 > 0:02:38Before she headed to Pyeongchang, we went to meet her.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43What is it like skiing visually impaired?I would say it is much
0:02:43 > 0:02:48easier that I can't ski. Brett skis in front of me and we talk all the
0:02:48 > 0:02:50way down the mountain, what the script snow is like, what Peter
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Rayner is like and I will say whether we're going to quickly or
0:02:54 > 0:03:01too slowly.I wear a bright orange jacket and we are connected via
0:03:01 > 0:03:06headset. I can see what is coming up, a change of to rain, a change in
0:03:06 > 0:03:13the course. Millie tells me if I'm skiing too fast or too slow.Is it
0:03:13 > 0:03:19true your mum was your first guide? Yes, we won bronze, which was
0:03:19 > 0:03:22exciting. We got disqualified in the others. But that's fine!What
0:03:22 > 0:03:28happened to her?My coach said I needed someone more permanent. And
0:03:28 > 0:03:36faster! When I went to such either was no
0:03:36 > 0:03:39pressure. I was going just to compete, to see what it was like and
0:03:39 > 0:03:43have a fun time. But now it is very different. Now it is very much more
0:03:43 > 0:03:47about my performance, getting medals. There is a little bit more
0:03:47 > 0:03:53pressure. How do you feel before a race?Bread
0:03:53 > 0:03:58is better on the start gate than me. He is very calm and relaxed. We talk
0:03:58 > 0:04:04through the course a lot.I have to make sure that Millie is OK. She
0:04:04 > 0:04:14goes quite quiet sometimes, which is not good. She listens to the script.
0:04:14 > 0:04:21What message would you have for other people who are visual -- with
0:04:21 > 0:04:23visual impairment?Fernie, losing my sight is the best thing that ever
0:04:23 > 0:04:27happened to me. I have got into sport, which has built me as a
0:04:27 > 0:04:30person. I have more confidence through skiing. I have made so many
0:04:30 > 0:04:33new friends and Bentiu amazing places. But without sport I would
0:04:33 > 0:04:39not have done. Give sport a go. Just try it.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Of course, we'll be keeping you up to date with all of the highlights
0:04:43 > 0:04:45from the games over the next ten days.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Head online now to see how some of this year's medal hopefuls got
0:04:48 > 0:04:51on, when we tested their knowledge of the history of the paralympics.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52That's all we've got time for today.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Newsround's back in the morning.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Enjoy your friday night. Bye!