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The Paris Paralympic Games are set to begin on Wednesday as some 4,400 athletes with disabilities, permanent injuries or impairments compete for 549 medals across 22 sports over 11 days. read more
 "4,400 para-athletes from across the globe descend to showcase triumph of resilience")
British Paralympians Helene Raynsford and Gregor Ewan light the Paralympic Flame in Stoke Mandeville, widely considered the birthplace of the Paralympic Games. AP
The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games are set to open on Wednesday, marking the continuation of an exciting summer of sports in the French capital following the highly successful Olympic Games.
This edition of the Paralympics promises to captivate audiences as 4,400 athletes with disabilities, permanent injuries, or impairments compete across 549 medal events in 22 sports, spread over 11 days until September 8.
Paris Paralympics: Complete schedule and list of sports
The opening ceremony will take place at Place de la Concorde, a historic square in the heart of Paris that hosted urban sports like skateboarding during the Olympics.
This will be the first time a Paralympic opening ceremony occurs outside the main stadium, symbolising a bold statement.
Theatre director Thomas Jolly, who was also behind the Olympics opening ceremony, emphasised the deep significance of placing Paralympic athletes at the city’s centre, especially considering that Paris’ Metro system is largely inaccessible to wheelchair users.
“Putting Paralympic athletes in the heart of the city is already a political marker in the sense that the city is not sufficiently adapted to every handicapped person,” Jolly said.
International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons echoed the importance of the venue for the opening ceremony.
“We are at the heart of the city," he told The Associated Press. ”The symbolism behind this is like the city of Paris is giving our athletes a gigantic hug.”
Despite the city’s lack of clear readiness for disabled individuals, organisers have ensured that the city’s buses are wheelchair-friendly and have provided 1,000 specially adapted taxis.
Many of the iconic Olympic venues will also be used for Paralympic events. The Grand Palais, praised during the Olympics, will host wheelchair fencing.
The La Defense Arena will see 141 gold-medal events in para-swimming, while the Stade de France will once again host track and field competitions.
In addition, Château de Versailles will welcome para-equestrian events, and the venue near the Eiffel Tower, which held beach volleyball, will host blind football, a popular sport for visually impaired players.
Meaning of Paralympic logo, movement and event history
“We’ve got some monstrous iconic sites, and we’re going to get an eyeful,” France’s para triathlon champion, Alexis Hanquinquant, said. “Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. I think we’re going to have some pretty exceptional Paralympic Games.”
Among the 22 sports, only two — goalball and boccia — do not have Olympic counterparts. Goalball is a fast-paced sport where visually impaired players aim to score by rolling a bell-embedded ball into the opponent’s goal, while boccia involves rolling balls as close as possible to a jack ball.
Stars to watch
Paralympic powerhouse China dominated the medals tally at the Tokyo Games three years ago winning 96 golds. Britain were second with 41 golds.
Riding the wave of their Olympic team’s success, hosts France will be aiming for a substantial upgrade on the 11 golds they won in 2021.
Anticipation is high for the new generation of Paralympians and returning stars. British sprinter Jonnie Peacock, who became a global icon in 2012, is aiming for a fourth consecutive Paralympic medal.
Athletes who have competed at Olympics and Paralympics
Iranian sitting volleyball giant Morteza Mehrzad, standing at 8-feet-1-inches, will seek to continue his dominance in the sport.
American multi-sport athlete Oksana Masters, with seven Paralympic golds across both summer and winter sports, is another favourite.
For the first time, visually impaired Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo will be the first transgender woman to compete in the Paralympics, making history when she races in the 400m on September 2.
Other remarkable athletes to watch include Ezra Frech, a 19-year-old American sprinter and high jumper who has been an inspiration leading up to the Games, and Indian shooter Avani Lekhara, who made history in Tokyo and will be defending her gold in the 10m air rifle event.
Brazil’s blind football team are undefeated since the sport’s introduction in 2004, but host nation France hope to challenge their dominance.
Meanwhile, Ukraine will send 140 athletes to the Games despite the ongoing war, underscoring their resilience.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus will compete under neutral flags but are barred from participating in the opening and closing ceremonies due to their countries’ suspension following the invasion of Ukraine.
As ticket sales surge, with over two million sold so far, Parsons highlighted the Games’ broader significance. He hopes that the Paralympics will reignite global attention on the challenges facing people with disabilities, which have recently taken a back seat to other social issues.
“This is one of the key expectations we have around Paris 2024; we believe that we need people with disability to be put back on the global agenda,” the Brazilian said.
“We do believe people with disability have been left behind. There is very little debate about persons with disability.”
The Paris Paralympics are shaping up to be an extraordinary event, with a powerful message of inclusion and the promise of incredible athletic performances. From familiar stars to rising talents, the Games will undoubtedly create new heroes while showcasing the triumphs of athletes on a global stage.
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English (US) ·