German hopefuls at the Paralympics

By getting to Rio 2016 Irmgard Bensusan has already achieved her primary goal. However, the 25-year-old student may be able to collect a medal after winning gold in the 100m and 200m sprint at the European Athletics Championships two weeks ago. She is also the 200m world record holder.

With three gold medals at the Summer Paralympics and two at the Winter Games to her name already, Andrea Eskau is an established Olympic athlete. The 45-year-old, nicknamed the "Tigress," competes in cross-country skiing and the biathlon during the winter, but at Rio she’ll be looking for gold in the handcycle.

She have been born without hands and a lower right leg, but this hasn’t prevented Stephanie Grebe from becoming one of the most successful German table tennis players in handicapped sports. At the Paralympics in London, the 28-year-old student only just missed out on a medal after finishing fourth, perhaps she can go one better in Rio.

A bronze medal winner in the 100m breaststroke at London 2012, Burkhard specializes over short distant swimming. However, in Rio he’s hoping to show that he's up for the job over longer distances and add to his two Paralympics medals.

Aged 63, Marianna Buggenhagen is the oldest athlete in the German team at Rio, but she’s lliving proof age is just a number. After a total of nine Paralympic golds across the shot put, javelin and discus since 1992, Buggenhagen isn’t ruling out gaining number ten in Rio.

Martin Schulz has already won everything in the paratriathlon as far as the World and European Championships are concerned. With the paratriathlon being included in the Paralympics Games for the first time in Rio, Schulz is in pole position to collect gold for Germany.

Rehm wanted to compete at the Olympics, but the IAAF ruled his prosthetic leg gave him an advantage. But he's still looking to defend his Paralympic gold from London in the long jump. The below-knee amputee will also compete in sprinting events.

Another German hopeful in the long jump is Heinrich Popow, who is competing in a different classification to Markus Rehm. Popow set a new record ahead of the Rio Paralympics of 6.77 meters, which shouldgive him momentum in his drive for a gold medal.

Heiko Kröger had high expectation for the last Paralympics, but he had to settle for silver. The sailor, who was born without a left forearm, was in Rio at the beginning of the year and was shocked by the catastrophic water quality in the sailing area. However, he’s back in the Brazilian capital with a great chance at gold in the 2.4m boating class.

German President Joachim Gauck extended his best wishes to the 155 athletes before the start of the Paralympics. He met the athletes at Frankfurt Airport and was impressed with their team spirit. The German association DBS represents athletes in 17 of the 22 Paralympic sports.

Unlike the German Olympic team, the Paralympians have no specific medal target for Rio. Their goal in South America is for the athletes to perform at their very best, said Chef de Mission, Karl Quade, to ZDF. "If they do that, that’s perfect, no matter what we come away with."