Paralympics Games 2024 begins today in Paris

The Paralympics Games 2024 will officially get underway in Paris today, and will go on till 8 September. This is the first time that France will stage a summer Paralympics.

The country previously hosted the Winter Paralympics in 1992 in Tignes and Albertville. The Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony will start at 11:30 PM IST today.

A total of 84 Indian para athletes will compete in this edition of the games. It is India’s largest contingent in Paralympic history. India will compete in 12 of the 22 sports scheduled at Paris 2024.

Shot-put star and 2022 Asian Para Games silver medallist Bhagyashree Jadhav, along with Javelin star and the reigning world-record-holder Sumit Antil have been named India’s flagbearers for the Paralympics 2024.

Krishna Nagar will be looking to defend his men’s singles title in para badminton. While, Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal, are set to take aim in para shooting. Para archery, para cycling, para taekwondo, para swimming and para table tennis are other events where Indians will be seen in action from tomorrow.

Para athletics will kicks off from Friday, where 38 Indian athletes will participate. The spotlight will be on javelin thrower Sumit Antil, who is the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist in the F64 category and world record-holder Bhavina Patel in women’s singles category. Bhavina, who is India’s first Paralympics medallist in table tennis, will also play the women’s doubles event with Sonalben Patel.

Starting September 4, Parmjeet Kumar, Ashok, Sakina Khatun and Kasthuri Rajamani will contest for India’s first podium in para powerlifting since Athens 2004.

Indian judokas Kapil Parmar and Kokila will be making their Paralympic debuts on September 5. The three-member para canoe team are the last set of Indian athletes to take the Paris 2024 stage when they begin racing on September 6. The Paris 2024 Paralympics will conclude on September 9 with the Closing Ceremony.