Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony: Preview, how to watch, plus highlights of first two days of competition
On Wednesday 30 |A|
August, Paris will host |B|
its first-ever Paralympic Games, |C|
and will begin with |D|
a spectacular Opening Ceremony |E|
in the heart of |F|
Frances capital. At 20:00 |G|
local time, Place de |H|
la Concorde and the |J|
Champs-Elysées will play host |K|
to 4,400 Paralympic athletes |L|
from 184 delegations as |M|
they celebrate the commencement |O|
of 11 days of |P|
competition, starting 29 August. |Q|
Describing the concept |C| as "first and foremost |D| a magnificent source of |E| inspiration" Jolly promises "performances |F| that have never been |G| seen before" in a |H| "spectacle that will unite |J| spectators and television audiences |K| worldwide around the unique |L| spirit of the Paralympic |M| Games”.
The ceremony will |O| again take place outside |P| the confines of a |Q| stadium, with athletes parading |R| down the famous avenue, |S| culminating in a celebration |U| and official opening of |V| the Paralympic Games at |Y| the iconic square in |Z| front of thousands of |A| spectators
"What an incredible |B| moment for our athletes, |C| who will be part |D| of a historic Opening |E| Ceremony, on the worlds |F| most famous avenue, surrounded |G| by all the charm |H| of Paris," enthused Jitske |J| Visser, Paralympic wheelchair basketball |K| medallist, IPC Athletes Commission |L| President and competitior at |M| Paris 2024.
"This ceremony |O| at the heart of |P| the city is a |Q| strong symbol illustrating our |R| ambition to capitalise on |S| our country hosting its |U| first-ever Paralympic Games to |V| position the issue of |Y| inclusion for people with |Z| disabilities at the heart |A| of our society," said |B| Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 |C| President.
Quick facts about |D| the Paris 2024 Paralympic |E| Games Opening Ceremony
|F| dir="ltr">4,400 athletes
184 |G| delegations
65,000 spectators
- |H|
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More than 300 |J| million viewers
A |K| parade down Champs-Elysées to |L| Place de La Concorde
- |M|
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Four stages
|O| dir="ltr">Unique artistic performances
29 |P| August: Preview and athletes |Q| to watch
The first |R| day of competition starts |S| with medal events in |U| Para Cycling Track, Para |V| Swimming, Para Table Tennis, |Y| and Para Taekwondo.
Star |Z| names include ParalympicsGBs most |A| decorated athlete, Sarah Storey, |B| who will start a |C| ninth consecutive Games looking |D| to add to her |E| 17 gold medals, from |F| day one. Storey secured |G| three titles at Tokyo |H| 2020, and the defence |J| of the first starts |K| today in the Para |L| Cycling Track Time Trial |M| C5 (from 11:00 local |O| time).
Fan-favourite wheelchair rugby |P| starts with the preliminary |Q| rounds of the mixed |R| gender event starting at |S| 10:30 with a mouth-watering |U| clash between Australia and |V| Great Britain.
Ryley Batt |Y| returns to the fray |Z| looking to return to |A| the top of the |B| podium with his Aussie |C| team after a fourth-place |D| finish at Tokyo 2020, |E| following top spots at |F| London 2012 and Rio |G| 2016.
Meanwhile, USA take |H| on Canada in a |J| North America showdown (12:30) |K| with Chuck Aoki eyeing |L| a longed-for top spot |M| after two silvers and |O| a bronze. Hosts France |P| face Denmark, with the |Q| crowd no doubt ready |R| to rattle the Champ |S| de Mars Arena to |U| its foundations once again.
|V| dir="ltr">30 August: Preview and |Y| athletes to watch
Day |Z| two and Para Athletics |A| and Shooting Para Sport |B| join the first days |C| medal events of Para |D| Cycling Track, Para Swimming, |E| Para Table Tennis, and |F| Para Taekwondo in distributing |G| shiny hardware to athletes.
|H| dir="ltr">Tanguy de la Forest |J| looks set to continue |K| his supreme form from |L| 2023 in which the |M| Frenchman blew away the |O| opposition at the Lima |P| 2023 World Shooting Para |Q| Sport Championships, winning four |R| gold medals and a |S| bronze, including a world |U| record in the R4 |V| mixed 10m air rifle |Y| standing SH2, which just |Z| so happens to be |A| one of the events |B| today, starting at 12:30.
|C| dir="ltr">Law student Avani Lekhara |D| from India will also |E| begin the defence of |F| her 10m air rifle |G| SH1 with qualifications at |H| 09:00, with the final |J| at 11:45.
Paris |K| 2024 Paralympics | They |L| will give us chills: |M| Avani Lekhara
How to |O| watch the Paralympic Games |P| Paris 2024
You can |Q| follow the action via |R| the Paralympic YouTube Channel |S| and the International Paralympic |U| Committee website (geo-blocking policies |V| may apply).
For a |Y| full list of global |Z| broadcasters visit here.
