They are coming to Brazil with the motto that "obstacles are in one's head, the body knows no borders".

Competing for Slovenia will be swimmer Darko Đurić, shooters Veselka Pevec, Damjan Pavlin, Franček Gorazd Tiršek and Franc Pinter, cyclist Primož Jeralič, long-distance runner Sandi Novak and kayaker Dejan Fabčič.

The Slovenian team is a mixture of youth and experience - with Jeralič, Novak and Pevec making their debuts and Pinter making his seventh Paralympics appearance.

Head of the Slovenian Paralympic Committee Damijan Lazar said about the expectations from athletes that "being qualified alone is a great sport achievement, while the most is expected from the shooters."

The shooters will indeed be Slovenia's main hope for a medal, as they have secured the only Paralympic medal for the country so far (in London in 2012).

"I would be happy if our athletes showed fair play and proved that this is top-quality sport, if they are considered as athletes and not as persons with disabilities," said Lazar.