The opening ceremony for the 2024 Paralympic Games will take place on Wednesday, 28 August 2024, at 19:00 BST. The event will be held at the iconic Place de la Concorde in Paris.

 

The 2024 Paralympic Games are ready to dazzle as Paris prepares for an unforgettable opening ceremony this Wednesday.

Following the subdued Tokyo Games in 2021, which were held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the financially troubled Rio 2016, Paris faces the challenge of delivering an event that matches, or even surpasses, the legacy of London 2012.

The opening ceremony, scheduled for 19:00 BST, will be held at the Place de la Concorde, with the first gold medals set to be awarded the following day. The Games will culminate with the closing ceremony at the Stade de France on Sunday, September 8.

With nearly two million tickets sold and about 500,000 remaining, the excitement is palpable. Following the success of the Paris Olympics, organizers view this as merely the halfway point.

The Paris Paralympics will feature a record number of delegations and female athletes, with unprecedented television coverage extending to more territories than ever before. In the UK, Channel 4 will broadcast over 1,300 hours of live sport across its channels and platforms, while BBC Radio 5 Live will provide commentary and updates. The BBC Sport website will offer daily live text commentary.

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons is confident the Games will be the most spectacular yet, remarking, "I truly believe these will be the most spectacular Paralympic Games ever."

Although France has never previously hosted the Summer Paralympics, it did host the Winter Games in Albertville in 1992.

Great Britain’s Athletes to Watch

Great Britain will be represented by 215 athletes across 19 sports in Paris, a slight reduction from the 227 who competed in Tokyo. The team includes 116 men and 99 women, ranging from 13-year-old swimmer Iona Winnifrith to 54-year-old canoeist Jeanette Chippington, who first competed in 1988.

Leading the British medal hopes is Sarah Storey, competing in her ninth Paralympics and aiming to increase her gold medal count to 19. She will focus on road cycling events. Other strong British contenders include Kadeena Cox and Jody Cundy in track cycling, Hannah Cockroft in athletics, and Sammi Kinghorn on the track. Alice Tai returns after missing Tokyo due to injury, while Jodie Grinham, a Para-archer, will compete while 28 weeks pregnant.

In wheelchair tennis, 30-time Grand Slam champion Alfie Hewett is aiming for his first Paralympic gold, while Para-triathletes Lauren Steadman and Claire Cashmore will once again vie for gold after their intense competition in Tokyo.

ParalympicsGB Chief Executive Dave Clarke hopes the 2024 team will have a memorable experience and contribute to the broader movement for disability recognition. "Our athletes are thrilled to compete in front of full stadiums and celebrate with loved ones," Clarke said.

France’s Paralympic Aspirations

France, having finished fifth in the medal table at the Olympics, aims to maintain that momentum. Para-triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant, one of the French flagbearers, seeks to retain his title from Tokyo. He anticipates an exceptional Paralympic Games and invites spectators to enjoy the celebrations.

Concerns remain about the River Seine's water quality, which delayed the men's Olympic triathlon. Organizers hope there will be no issues during the Paralympics.

Global Contenders and New Faces

Globally, Brazil’s Petrucio Ferreira, the fastest Paralympian, will defend his T47 100m title. Germany’s Markus Rehm, aiming for his fourth Paralympic long jump title, will compete with his world record jump of 8.72m.

Valentina Petrillo, representing Italy, will become the first openly transgender athlete at the Paralympics. Despite controversy, her participation symbolizes progress towards inclusion.

Russia and Belarus athletes, banned from competing due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, will participate as Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA), having been vetted to ensure neutrality.

The Paralympic Refugee Team will include eight athletes, with Zakia Khudadadi, an Afghan refugee, set to compete in Para-taekwondo. Additionally, Eritrea, Kiribati, and Kosovo will make their debut at the Paralympics.