Sports
Paris To Inaugurate Paralympic Games With ‘Never Seen Before’ Opening Ceremony In City’s Heart
PARIS — Just weeks after hosting the Olympics, Paris’ season of sports concludes Wednesday with the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.
More than 4,000 athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual disabilities will participate in 22 sports over the next 11 days.
Paris To Inaugurate Paralympic Games With ‘Never Seen Before’ Opening Ceremony In City’s Heart
Organizers promise a stunning opening ceremony for the Games. The Paralympic ceremony is once again taking place outside of a stadium, but unlike the rain-soaked Olympic opening ceremony, which featured a boat parade on the Seine River, it will take place entirely on land, with athletes parading down the famous Champs-Elysées to the ceremony at Place de la Concorde.
Artistic director Thomas Jolly, who oversaw the Olympics’ opening ceremony, stated that the event will “showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody” and guarantee “performances that have never been seen before.” The July 26 opening ceremony emphasized inclusivity and diversity.
Wednesday night’s program, which begins at 8 p.m., promises to honor the human body with much better weather. As mid-afternoon sun-baked Paris, some fans gathered early to secure prime seats on the Champs-Élysées, which runs down to Concorde.
According to organizers, more than 2 million of the 2.8 million tickets for the Paris Paralympics have already been sold. The competition begins Thursday, with the first medals awarded in taekwondo, table tennis, and track cycling. Athletes are divided into groups based on their impairment levels to guarantee an equal playing field. Goalball and Boccia are the only two sports in the program that do not have an Olympic equivalent.
The International Paralympic Committee President, Andrew Parsons, stated that the large crowds expected in Paris will mean a lot to the competitors. Many competed in front of empty stands at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As our goal is to be perceived and understood as the most transformational sporting event on the planet, having this atmosphere is critical,” he told The Associated Press on the eve of the opening ceremony.
Paris To Inaugurate Paralympic Games With ‘Never Seen Before’ Opening Ceremony In City’s Heart
Strips of tarmac have been poured along the Champs-Elysées, as well as over the entire Concorde plaza, to improve access to the parade area.
SOURCE | AP
