After the 2021 Tokyo Games were held without fans due to the Covid pandemic, and Rio 2016 faced financial challenges, the pressure is now on Paris to host an event that can match or even surpass the success of the London 2012 Games.
The opening ceremony is set for Wednesday at 19:00 BST, centered around the Place de la Concorde. The first of the 549 gold medals will be awarded the following day. The games will conclude with a closing ceremony at the Stade de France on Sunday, September 8.
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Sarah Storey first represented Britain at a Paralympic Games in 1992
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Almost two million tickets have been sold so far, with around 500,000 still available. Organizers, buoyed by the success of the Paris Olympics, view this as merely halftime.
The Paris Games will see a record number of delegations and female athletes, along with broader television coverage than ever before.
In the UK, Channel 4 will broadcast more than 1,300 hours of live sports across its platforms, including Channel 4, More4, Channel 4 Streaming, and Channel 4 Sport’s YouTube channel. BBC Radio 5 Live will provide commentary and updates from key events, with dedicated programming most evenings. Additionally, the BBC Sport website will offer daily live text commentary.
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Sprinter Nantenin Keita and Para-triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant will be the French flagbears at the Paralympics opening ceremony
Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, stated, “I often say that these will be the most spectacular Paralympic Games ever, and I believe it in my heart.” France, hosting a summer Paralympics for the first time, previously staged the Winter Games in Albertville in 1992.
Key British Athletes to Watch
Great Britain will be represented by 215 athletes across 19 sports in Paris, with 116 men and 99 women, a slight decrease from the 227 athletes in Tokyo.
Among them, Jeanette Chippington, a 54-year-old canoeist, first competed for ParalympicsGB at the 1988 Games in Seoul, making her the oldest athlete in the team. The youngest is 13-year-old swimmer Iona Winnifrith, with 14-year-old table tennis player Bly Twomey also competing.
Leading Britain’s medal hopes is Sarah Storey, aiming to increase her gold medal tally to 19 in her ninth Paralympic appearance. The 46-year-old will compete in the cycling road race and time trial, focusing on road events over track competitions.
Photo Credit: Getty Images. jeanette chippington
In the velodrome, British medal hopes include Kadeena Cox and Jody Cundy. In athletics, Hannah Cockroft aims to continue her dominance in the T34 100m and 800m events, while Sammi Kinghorn is another key contender. Will Bailey will look to defend his table tennis gold from Rio 2016.
Alice Tai, a swimmer who missed the Tokyo Games due to injury, is returning after having her right leg amputated below the knee last year. Meanwhile, Para-archer Jodie Grinham will be 28 weeks pregnant when she competes on Friday.
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Alice Tai in a swimming pool
In wheelchair tennis, 30-time Grand Slam champion Alfie Hewett seeks his first Paralympic gold. Para-triathlon will see former schoolmates Lauren Steadman and Claire Cashmore battle for gold again after Steadman’s victory in Tokyo 2020.
The Hosts’ Aspirations
Following a successful Olympics where France finished fifth in the medal standings, the hosts aim to maintain momentum for the Paralympics, both in sporting achievements and the overall event atmosphere.
French hopes include Para-triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant, one of the flagbearers for the opening ceremony, who aims to defend his Tokyo title in the PTS4 category.
[Photo Credit: Getty Images. Alexis Hanquinquant carrying the French flag]
“The Olympic Games were a huge success, with many spectators and a great atmosphere. We’re hoping for the same experience at the Paralympic Games,” Hanquinquant shared. “Paris is the most beautiful city in the world, and I think we’re going to have an exceptional Paralympic Games.”
The River Seine remains a concern after poor water quality led to delays and cancellations during the men’s Olympic triathlon. Organizers hope this won’t affect the Paralympic events.
Global Stars to Watch
Notable international athletes include Brazil’s Petrucio Ferreira, the world’s fastest Paralympian, who is aiming to defend his T47 100m title. Ferreira’s world record stands at 10.29 seconds.
Germany’s Markus Rehm, known as the Blade Jumper, is pursuing his fourth Paralympic long jump title in the T64 category. His world record jump of 8.72m ranks among the longest jumps in history.
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Markus Rehm in action during a long jump event
In Para-athletics, Valentina Petrillo is set to become the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the Paralympics, representing Italy in the T12 classification for visually impaired athletes. Petrillo, who transitioned in 2019, will compete in the 200m and 400m events.
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Valentina Petrillo
Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus are banned from sending athletes to the Games. However, some athletes from these countries will participate as neutrals, under the Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA) delegation, with strict vetting to ensure no links to the military or support for the war.
Eight athletes will represent the Paralympic Refugee Team, including Zakia Khudadadi in the K44 -47kg Para-taekwondo event. Khudadadi, originally from Afghanistan, competed in Tokyo after being evacuated just days before the Games.
Photo Credit: Getty Images. Zakia Khudadadi competing in a taekwondo
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