Top line
The Paralympics opening ceremony on Wednesday will make history – like the 2024 Paris Olympics – as the first Games to be held outside a stadium, as athletes parade down the historic Champs-Elysées. While performers have not yet been announced, organizers promised an “unprecedented” show.
PARIS, FRANCE – APRIL 21: The Paris 2024 logo, representing the Olympic Games, is seen near the … (+)
Key data
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris ended on August 11, but the Paralympics begin this week and run until September 8 (see the full schedule of events here).
These are the first Summer Paralympics to be held in France and the first time since COVID-19 that spectators will be allowed to fill the stands.
Over 4,000 athletes with physical, mental and visual impairments from 184 delegations will compete in 22 sports over the next 11 days.
There are ten classifications for athletes based on disabilities, including eight physical disabilities – such as leg length discrepancy and limb defect – as well as visual and mental disabilities. Athletes are divided into categories based on the “degree of activity limitation caused by their disabilities.”
How can I watch the opening ceremony?
Coverage of the opening ceremony kickoff begins at 1 p.m. EDT live on USA Network and will be streamed on Peacock. The opening ceremony begins at 2 p.m. EDT. Peacock is the official streaming service for the Games, broadcasting all events live and offering replays of the full events for those unable to watch in real time. The Paralympics will also be broadcast live on NBC, CNBC and USA Network.
Who are the flag bearers for Team USA?
Nicky Nieves, gold medalist in sitting volleyball, will be the flag bearer for the U.S. national team. Steve Serio, gold medalist in sitting basketball, will be the men’s flag bearer.
What happens at the opening ceremony?
Just like the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games this year, the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympics in Paris will be the first to take place outside a stadium. However, the athletes will not be part of a boat parade. Instead, they will cruise down the Champs-Elysées to the ceremony at the Place de la Concorde. The event will “highlight Paralympic athletes and the values they embody,” according to Thomas Jolly, artistic director of the Olympic and Paralympic Games opening ceremonies. Although the names of the performers have not yet been announced, Jolly promised “performances never seen before” in a “spectacle that will unite spectators and television audiences worldwide around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games.”
Important background
The Paralympics began in 1946 at a veterans’ hospital north of London in Stoke Mandeville, and the first official games were held in Rome in 1960. The Paralympics are traditionally held about two weeks after the Olympics, and since 1988 the games have been held in the same city and venue as the Olympics. Paralympic athletes compete in sports that mirror their Olympic counterparts, such as para-triathlon and wheelchair rugby, basketball and tennis. Goalball and bocce are the only two sports unique to the Paralympics. Designed specifically for athletes with visual impairments, goalball is played by two teams on a field with a net at each end. Teams score points by rolling a ball into the opponent’s goal. All players must wear an eye mask to ensure fair competition, and there are bells inside the ball so players can track it by sound. Boccia is played by athletes with severe disabilities that affect their motor skills. Each player scores points by rolling a leather ball as close as possible to a small white ball called a jack.
Surprising fact
Visually impaired athletes taking part in certain events such as paracycling and paratriathlon are assisted by sighted guides during the Games. Since 2012, the guides have also been awarded medals.
