The Olympics had Wiggo, and now the Paralympics have Wiggsy.

Canoeist Emma Wiggs will be going for gold in the women's 200m KL2 event. 

She is the reigning world champion in her class and is hoping to add a Paralympic gold medal to her collection of four world titles. 

Thomas Lachlan: Maybe Germany and south Africa came out early due to the Portuguese translations of those countries?

James Cruickshank: I'm assuming Germany and South Africa came out first as their names in French are Afrique du Sud and Allemagne

You're absolutely right, folks - there's a reason I got an E in my A-Level language exams.

 Into the D's now and Denmark's flag bearer is equestrian rider Annika Lykke Dalskov Risum. Risum was injured in a traffic accident at 25 and currently has a bloodshot eye. "Now I get to be a flagbearer looking like a vampire because I have an infection in my eye," she said.

Full marks for Colombia, who have a synchronised dance routine going on as they enter the stadium. It's timed to absolute perfection, with side-steps and hat flips. Excellent stuff.

Image source, Getty Images

This was Aaron Wheelz's amazing jump that kicked things off tonight. The jump came down through the middle of the stand and just casually pulled off a back-flip, before making a perfect landing.

Image source, Reuters

There are 4,500 people involved in tonight's opening ceremony. Absolutely massive. In come China, who topped the table in London with an incredible 231 medals.

Ah, Canada! Rocking out to a techno beat, now. Their flag bearer is wheelchair basketball player David Eng, who said that tonight's ceremony will be "a bit cheeky, a bit outside of the box. I'm looking forward to it and just hope to have fun."

Image source, Reuters

This is a shot from the 'Beach for Everyone' scene from earlier in the ceremony.

We're back to A-Z now: does anybody out there know why Germany and South Africa came out first?

Burundi's sole athlete has made his way into the arena, flanked by his coach. And now we're into the C's...

We've got some new events in Rio, notably the para-triathlon.

The triathlon is intense, with 750m of swimming, 20km of cycling and a 5km run to round it off.

For the cycling section of the race, athletes may use a tandem bicycle, handcycle or bicycle, while a wheelchair may be used for the final 5km run to the finish line.

Royal Marine Joe Townsend, who lost both his legs in Afghanistan, will be competing for Paralympics GB in the men's event on Saturday 10 September, while the women race on Sunday 11.

Austria enter, led by the fantastically-named Wolfgang Eibeck, who is a track cyclist, followed by Azerbaijan. The music has ramped up a notch as we move into the B's, with Bermuda entering in bright pink shorts. Very summery.

Aruba are next, making their Paralympic debut, followed by Australia.All of their athletes are dressed in nifty blue blazers and colored trousers to represent the Atos, the symbol of the Paralympic Games.

Think you could be an undiscovered talent? Fancy trying your hand at a new sport?

John Willis has tried 28 of the 34 Paralympic sports, which is impressive going!

We've got all the info over here on how to get involved in all the Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Armenia have two athletes. Their flag is carried by powerlifter Greta Vardanyan. Meanwhile, the jigsaw is slowly building up in the centre of the arena...

And here's Argentina! 82 in the squad in total - they're searching for their first Paralympic gold in 20 years.

Flagbearer Gustavo Fernandez, who will compete in the wheelchair tennis, says: "I don't want to brag about it but I'm the first Fernandez to carry the flag so I'll be telling my sons and my brother's sons about it."

Saudi Arabia and Algeria now. One of the Algerian athletes has written a message on his hand for his Mum and Dad, which he proudly waves in front of the camera. It's a near sell-out in the Maracana.

A US army sergeant, the fastest Paralympian and a table tennis star who qualified for the Olympics and the Paralympics. Here's who to watch out for in Rio.