The 2024 Paris Paralympics are set to begin on August 28, showcasing the world’s top para-athletes across 141 gold-medal events in various sports, including para-swimming and track and field. The games have seen strong ticket sales, particularly among Parisians, with 92% of over 1.75 million tickets sold to French buyers and several sessions nearly sold out. This surge in local interest comes as residents return to the city after the Olympic exodus, eager to experience the Paralympic spirit.Athletes from around the world are preparing for the games with determination and hope. Kenya’s Hellen Wawira Kariuki, competing in para-powerlifting, aims to win a medal and use her platform to change perceptions of disability in her country. Great Britain’s Nathan Maguire, a T54 wheelchair racer, will be competing in his third Paralympics before marrying his fiancée and fellow Paralympian, Hannah Cockroft, three weeks after the closing ceremony.The Paralympic flame will be lit in England on August 24, before being divided into 12 parts and traveling through 50 French cities over four days. This symbolic journey will culminate at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, marking the official start of the games.Various national teams have announced their lineups, with Ukraine sending a record 140 athletes to compete in 17 sports. The games will also feature new initiatives, such as the campaign by Paralympians to highlight the importance of language used to describe their participation, emphasizing that they are ‘competing’ rather than merely ‘participating’.International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons expressed hope that the Paris Games will help restore issues facing disabled people to the top of the global agenda. With increased media coverage, including live streaming of all events through NBC on the Peacock service in the U.S., the 2024 Paralympics aim to showcase the best of disability sport and raise awareness about the challenges and achievements of athletes with disabilities.
Key points
- The 2024 Paris Paralympics will begin on August 28, featuring 141 gold-medal events across various para-sports.
- Ticket sales have been strong, with 92% of over 1.
- The Paralympic flame will be lit in England on August 24 and travel through 50 French cities.
- Ukraine is sending a record 140 athletes to compete in 17 sports.
- The games aim to raise awareness about issues facing people with disabilities and showcase elite para-athletic performance.
75 million tickets sold to French buyers.
