A one-year countdown to the Paralympic Games in Paris the next year has been launched by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). On August 28, the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024 will get underway.
In a year, Para athletes from all over the world will compete at the most spectacular and varied Games ever in the City of Light. From August 28 to September 8, 2024, the Paris Paralympic Games will feature 549 competitions across 22 sports.
The IPC urged spectators to participate in Monday’s countdown to the spectacular Opening Ceremony. This will be the first time in Paralympic history that the ceremony will occur outside a stadium.
The first Paralympic Games will be held in Paris in a year. Up to 4,400 Para athletes worldwide will compete in Paris 2024 at some of the city’s most recognisable sites.
The Opening Ceremony will take place on August 28 for the first time outside of a stadium, with the Athletes’ Parade making its way through the centre of Paris to the famous Place de la Concorde.
IPC President Andrew Parsons
The first Paralympics since the pandemic, world-class sport, iconic venues, and a ground-breaking organising strategy, according to International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons, are the ideal ingredients for a Paralympics that will surpass the accomplishments of any previous Games edition.
“As we reach the one-year-to-go milestone, all the stars are aligning for Paris 2024 to deliver tremendous and memorable Paralympic Games, setting a benchmark for all future editions,” Parsons said.
“The Organising Committee has promised innovative and revolutionary Paralympics, Games Wide Open to all. To date, they are delivering on all their promises and with 12 months to go I could not be more excited for the Games and the legacy they will deliver,” he said.
“Having attended many Para sports events this year, the level of sports performance is quite simply incredible. With the environment Paris 2024 is creating for athletes next summer, which includes many stunning sports venues at the heart of the city, I think the sporting action will surpass all of our expectations.
“These will be the first Paralympics in Europe since London 2012 and the first to be held with spectators since Rio 2016. This combination, together with accessible and affordable tickets, will ensure we have massive crowds packing the venues, bringing the best out of our athletes. I think the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are going to be spectacular,” Parsons said.
Para equestrian competitions will take place in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles, wheelchair fencing competitions will take place in the Grand Palais, and blind football matches will take place at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
The largest stadium in the nation, the Stade de France in Paris, will once again host the top distance runners, throwers, and jumpers in the globe. The Saint-Denis facility, which was initially constructed for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, has since hosted some of the biggest sporting events in history. This year’s Rugby World Cup will feature 10 matches, including the opening and championship contests.
India at Tokyo Paralympics 2020
India at the previous Paralympics in Tokyo 2020 had a successful time. The largest contingent sent by India of all time did not disappoint as they won 19 medals. Below is the Indian medal tally at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020.
| Name | Sport | Event | Medal |
| Avani Lekhara | Shooting | Women’s R2 10 metre air rifle standing SH1 | Gold |
| Sumit Antil | Athletics | Men’s javelin throw F64 | Gold |
| Manish Narwal | Shooting | Mixed P4 50 metre pistol SH1 | Gold |
| Pramod Bhagat | Badminton | Men’s singles SL3 | Gold |
| Krishna Nagar | Badminton | Men’s singles SH6 | Gold |
| Bhavina Patel | Table Tennis | Women’s individual class 4 | Silver |
| Nishad Kumar | Athletics | Men’s high jump T47 | Silver |
| Yogesh Kathuniya | Athletics | Men’s discus throw F56 | Silver |
| Devendra Jhajaria | Athletics | Men’s javelin throw F46 | Silver |
| Mariyappan Thangavelu | Athletics | Men’s high jump T63 | Silver |
| Praveen Kumar | Athletics | Men’s high jump T64 | Silver |
| Singhraj Adhana | Shooting | Mixed P4 50 metre pistol SH1 | Silver |
| Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj | Badminton | Men’s singles SL4 | Silver |
| Sundar Singh Gurjar | Athletics | Men’s javelin throw F46 | Bronze |
| Singhraj Adhana | Shooting | Men’s P1 10 metre air pistol SH1 | Bronze |
| Sharad Kumar | Athletics | Men’s high jump T63 | Bronze |
| Avani Lekhara | Shooting | Women’s R8 50 metre Rifle 3 positions SH1 | Bronze |
| Harvinder Singh | Archery | Men’s individual recurve open | Bronze |
| Manoj Sarkar | Badminton | Men’s singles SL3 | Bronze |
