Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony LIVE: Paris prepares for start of Games with athletes parade
The ceremony features athletes participating at the Games and is taking place in the heart of the French captial
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Paris is back in the spotlight this evening as the city hosts the opening ceremony of the Paralympics Games. Fresh off the heels of a blockbuster fortnight of Olympic action, the Paralympic athletes now take centre stage as they compete for medals, records and glory in front of huge crowds watching on around the globe.
The French captial is expected to be packed once again with up to 65,000 spectators expected to attend the first act of the Games which sees 4,400 athletes from 168 delegations parade down the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysees in the heart of Paris ahead of what is sure to be 11 days of intense competition.
The opening ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly has revealed the spectacle will “showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody”. He has promised “performances that have never been seen before” and claims that the show will “unite spectators and television audiences worldwide around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games”.
Follow all the latest updates from the Paralympics opening ceremony with our live blog below:
Hannah Cockroft puts Paralympics record on the line in Paris: ‘I’m the one to beat’
Seven-time champion Hannah Cockroft insisted there is “not a single thought” Paris 2024 will be her final Paralympics as she sent out an ominous warning to her rivals.
Wheelchair racer Cockroft has dominated the women’s T34 classification for more than a decade after bursting on to the scene with two golds at London 2012.
The 32-year-old is poised to put her 100 per cent Games record on the line on Sunday when she defends her 100m title at Stade de France before bidding to retain the 800m crown the following Saturday.
Hannah Cockroft puts Paralympics record on the line in Paris: ‘I’m the one to beat’
The wheelchair racer has dominated the women’s T34 classification since making her debut in London and puts her 100 per cent record on the line in Paris
Paralympics opening ceremony
It’s almost time for the opening ceremony to start (7pm BST).
4,400 athletes from 182 delegations will parade along the Champs-Élysées, starting at the Arc de Triomphe and ending at the Place de la Concorde.
The rest of the ceremony will then get started.
It’s currently 28 degrees in Paris which is in stark contrast to the wet and windy conditions from the Olympics opening ceremony earlier this year.
Terry Bywater carrying the flag for ParalympicsGB
Terry Bywater and his teammates take on Germany in their opening Group A fixture on Thursday morning before meeting Canada and hosts France on Saturday and Monday respectively.
The 41-year-old was born without a tibia and a fibula in his left leg, which was amputated when he was two.
“It’s a dream come true, I feel quite emotional,” he said. “Carrying the Union flag, it hasn’t sunk in – I’m just super, super proud.
“This is not just about me, this is for the 215 athletes that are here, all the staff, my family, my wife, my son, my family that have passed away that always followed me – I’ll be doing it for everyone.”
Lucy Shuker explains importance of being ParalympicsGB flagbearer
44-year-old Lucy Shuker was paralysed from the chest down following a motorbike crash in 2001 and made her Paralympic debut seven years later in Beijing.
“To have that honour to lead ParalympicsGB out is incredible and something that I never thought I would do,” she said.
“To qualify for my first Paralympics in Beijing was an achievement in itself, but to come to my fifth Paralympics and now be a flagbearer is a real dream come true.
“Leading the parade down the Champs-Elysees and Place de la Concorde is going to be really different – eyes will be on me, but also the rest of ParalympicsGB.
“We are a big team and to be at the front of that is insane, incredible and an honour.”
Lucy Shuker and Terry Bywater named ParalympicsGB’s opening ceremony flagbearers
Wheelchair tennis player Lucy Shuker and wheelchair basketball player Terry Bywater have been selected as ParalympicsGB’s flagbearers for the opening ceremony of Paris 2024.
Shuker made history alongside her former doubles partner Jordanne Whiley when they became the first women to win a medal for Great Britain in their sport by claiming bronze at London 2012.
The pair also achieved third place on the podium at Rio 2016 before securing silver at the delayed Tokyo Games three years ago.
Paralympics opening ceremony
Coverage of the Paralympics opening ceremony has just begun on Channel 4 with Clare Balding watching over proceedings with former Paralympians Libby Clegg and Ellie Simmonds also on presenting duties.
ParalympicsGB has immense experience – but that also highlights the challenge at Paris 2024
Experience is not in short supply in the ranks of ParalympicsGB and that is not necessarily a good thing.
Paris 2024 will see records tumble when it comes to longevity and while all remarkable achievements individually, they are best served with a note of caution.
Before London 2012, no athlete had represented ParalympicsGB eight times; in Paris, we will see three golden oldies who have done so.
ParalympicsGB has immense experience – but that highlights challenge of Paris 2024
Dame Sarah Storey will compete at a record ninth Games and has won 17 golds already
Who is competing for ParalympicsGB?
ParalympicsGB will compete in 19 sports in Paris, having failed to qualify in blind football, goalball and sitting volleyball.
Great Britain have 215 athletes competing including Britain’s most successful Paralympian, Sarah Storey, who is participating at a ninth Games and is hoping to add to her 17 gold medals.
Other names to look out for include wheelchair tennis Wimbledon champion Alfie Hewett, who is aiming to win a first gold medal., wheelchair racers Hannah Cockroft and Sammi Kinghorn, Para-cyclist Jody Cundy, table tennis player Will Bayley and swimmer Alice Tai.
At Tokyo 2020, Britain finished second in the medal table behind China with 124 medals, including 41 golds.
How many nations compete at the Paralympics?
Para-sport has seen an increase in the number of nations participating at the Paralympic Games as more people seek to get involved in disability sport.
The Paris Games will feature around 4,400 athletes from a record 168 delegations but that is short of the 207 delegations who competed at the Olympics.
The total includes 167 National Paralympic Committees (NPC), an eight-strong Refugee Paralympic Team (RPT) and a Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA) delegation from Russia and Belarus.
The previous record was 164 delegations at London 2012 while the previous highest number of athletes at a Paralympic Games was 4,393 at Tokyo 2020.
Which venues are being used for the Paralympics?
The Paralympics will be held in many of the same venues that were used at the Olympics.
The Grand Palais is where the wheelchair fencing and Para-taekwondo will take place but blind football be played in a specially built stadium at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
The Stade de France will host the athletics, the La Defense Arena the swimming, wheelchair tennis will be at Roland Garros, and Chateau de Versailles’ gardens will host the Para-equestrian events.
Para-triathletes will compete in the centre of Paris, with the swim leg due to take place in the River Seine as was the case with the triathlon events at the Olympics.
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