Jamaica's Paralympians, left the island bound for Beijing, where they will participate in the Paralympic Games, starting on September 6.

The athletes, Tanto Campbell, Vinnette Green, Sylvia Grant and Alphanso Cunningham who departed the Sangster International Airport in the resort city of Montego Bay, were accompanied by three officials - Errol Williams, head coach; Ceila Bennett, physiotherapist and Neville Sinclair, assistant coach.

They are expected back in the island on September 20. Chef-de-mission Rory Hickson left for Beijing ahead of the team on Wednesday, to prepare for the team's arrival.

Williams told the Observer shortly before the team's departure for Miami, en route to Beijing, that he was confident the athletes would win "a few medals".

"We are looking for about four medals from our athletes. They did very well the last time around and I see no reason why they will not repeat that type of performance," said the head coach.

In the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece, the four-member team won a gold and a bronze medal.

Cunningham won the gold in the F53 discus in what was then a world record 25.18 metres, while Campbell copped the bronze in the F56 discus.

A confident Cunningham said yesterday that he is hoping to better the record he set four years ago.

"I am planning to better the then record. I am hoping to do about 26 (metres) this time around," he said.

The Paralympic Games is the premier sporting event for athletes who are physically challenged and visually impaired, and takes place at the same venues as the Olympic Games. This year the team will participate in discus and javelin events.

Source: Jamaica Observer