Hignia Giosa, the inaugural President of the CPP, said the South American nation was relishing its chance to compete at the Paralympics for the first time.

Paraguay is set to make its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, due to open on August 24.

The country, which became a full member of the International Paralympic Committee at the worldwide organisation's General Assembly in 2019, is sending two athletes to the Games in the Japanese capital.

S9 swimmer Rodrigo Hermosa and T12 runner Melissa Nair Tillner Galeano will make history as the first Paraguayans to compete at the Paralympics.

"In our country, very few people know about Paralympic sports and the Paralympic Movement, so I hope this will encourage interest," said Giosa, who handed over the Presidency to Juan Manuel Fernandez earlier this year.

"We hope that the journalistic media in their sports pages support our participation so that there is visibility.

"There is still ignorance about the physical and sports activities that people with disabilities can access and the benefits they bring to health, to the improvement of the quality of life and, above all, that they can represent an entire country.

"For Paraguay, it is an immense joy, pride and great responsibility to be included for the first time in the largest sporting event for people with disabilities at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games."

Paraguay is sending a 10-strong delegation to Tokyo 2020, including Giosa.

"I will be happy, proud and excited to the bone to be a participant," she added.

"It’s a dream come true in such a short time since the Paraguayan Paralympic Committee was formed four years ago.

"I see a promising future, I believe that with our participation, many people with disabilities will be encouraged and will approach the different Sports Federations to start sports, since the Paralympic Games will set the example that everyone can practice a sport."