Wheelchair Marathon

More than 3,200 competitors from 66 eligible nations will meet in Victoria on August 18 to participate in the XV Commonwealth Games. In her Commonwealth Day Message this year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II said it was appropriate that sport is the theme for Commonwealth Day, as the most popular Commonwealth event will be Victoria's Games and the linked cultural festival. The Queen will open the Games in the newly-expanded 32,000 seat Centennial Stadium, close to the Athletes'Village on the University of Victoria campus. Her youngest son, Prince Edward, will attend the Closing Ceremony on August 28, 1994. The four stamps being issued on August 5 will complement the se tenant pair of stamps issued on May 20. The stamps show athletes participating in various events, the Queen's Baton and with flowers forming a framing feature. The men's wheelchair marathon and women's high jump form a 43¢ se tenant pair, while women's diving is depicted on the 50¢ value and men's cycling is the subject of the 88¢ stamp. Athletes with a disability will compete for the first time as members of their national teams at these Games. Events include men's open wheelchair marathon and 800-meter wheelchair. The development of wheelchair sport began in Canada in 1947 and the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association promotes development and excellence in sports such as basketball, tennis, swimming, archery and athletics.