Following the conclusion of the Olympic Games in Paris, attention turns to the 16th edition of the Paralympic Games, with more than 4,000 athletes expected to represent more than 150 nations across 22 sports.
It is the first time France has hosted a summer Paralympics, having staged the 1992 Winter Games in Tignes and Albertville.
Many of Olympic venues – including Roland Garros, the Château de Versailles gardens and the Stade de France – are once again hosting events. This is all you need to know about this summer’s Paralympics.
The opening ceremony of this summer’s Paralympics takes place on Wednesday, August 28. The first day of competition is Thursday, August 29. The final day of competition as well as the closing ceremony is on Sunday, September 8. Start times each day will be similar to the Olympics with early starts and events throughout the day.
There are still tickets available via the official website which you can access by clicking this link. Prices include day-long Discovery Passes for €24 (£20.50), allowing you to watch several sessions in a day (access to the eligible sessions of the day). Another offer is the chance to buy two children’s tickets for just €10 for every two adult tickets purchased. As always, more expensive seats are available in the hospitality sections.
As was the case at the Olympics, the opening ceremony for the Paralympics will not take place in a stadium but will take in some of Paris’ most famous landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde and the Trocadéro.
Thomas Jolly, artistic director for the ceremonies said: “While the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony will be the first of its kind, its monumental and popular concept is, for me, first and foremost a magnificent source of inspiration.
“From the Champs-Elysées to Place de la Concorde, I look forward to creating this spectacle that will transform the heart of Paris, with performances that have never been seen before.
“A spectacle that will showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody. A spectacle that will unite spectators and television audiences worldwide around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games.”
Channel 4 has exclusive live television coverage in the UK with more than 1,300 hours of coverage scheduled. You can also watch via their online streaming service or on Channel 4’s YouTube channel. BBC say they will have an evening highlights show dedicated to the Paralympics most evenings.
There are 22 sports at the Paralympics with a total of 549 gold medals up for grabs. Last time out in Tokyo, ParalympicsGB finished second in the medal table behind China. The full list of sports is as follows:
- Blind football
- Boccia
- Goalball
- Para-archery
- Para-athletics
- Para-badminton
- Para-canoe
- Para-cycling
- Para-equestrian
- Para-judo
- Para-powerlifting
- Para-rowing
- Para-swimming
- Para-table tennis
- Para-taekwondo
- Para-triathlon
- Shooting Para-sport
- Sitting volleyball
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair fencing
- Wheelchair rugby
- Wheelchair tennis
ParalympicsGB will take around 220 Paralympians to Paris, with blind football, goalball and sitting volleyball the only sports out of the 22 to have no British involvement. Athletes to watch include Hollie Arnold in the para athletics; Matt Bush in taekwondo; Rachel Choong in badminton; Hannah Cockroft in the para athletics; Funmi Oduwaiye in the para athletics; David Smith in boccia; Claire Taggart in boccia; Iona Winnifrith in swimming and Thomas Young in the para athletics.