Cyprus' debut in Paralympic competition was the 1988 Seoul Summer Paralympics. The island country has entered every Summer Paralympic Games since, making Rio de Janeiro their eighth appearance at a Summer Paralympiad. At the close of the Rio Games, the nation had won a total of six medals in their history in the Paralympic movement. The 2016 Summer Paralympics were held from 7–18 September 2016 with a total of 4,328 athletes representing 159 National Paralympic Committees taking part. Two athletes were sent by Cyprus to Rio de Janeiro: sprinter Antonis Aresti and short-distance swimmer Karolina Pelendritou. They were accompanied by the team's chef de mission Aristides Evripides, the president of the Cyprus National Paralympic Committee Andreas Kamarliggos, coaches Christos Constantinou and Stylianos Kakavogiannis, a team doctor and a trainer-physiotherapist. Pelendritou was chosen to be the flag bearer for the parade of nations at the opening ceremony and Aresti performed these duties at the closing ceremony.