What to Know About the 2024 Paralympic Games

Set to bring in over four thousand competitors in the summer of 2024, the Summer Paralympics has long been a celebration of inclusivity and outstanding athletic skill. Every four years, Paralympians showcase their years of dedicated training and vie for gold, silver, and bronze medals. Nothing holds these athletes back from the sports they truly love. This quick guide to the 2024 Paralympics will get you ready for the finish line.

A brief history of the Paralympics

While today we celebrate the Paralympic Games alongside the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, the competition was first known as The Stoke Mandeville Games. Introduced by Dr. Ludwig Guttmann in 1948, the first official games saw 16 wheelchair-using veterans compete in archery. It grew to 400 athletes when it changed its name for the 1960 competition season. Later, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee formed an agreement to host the two historic sporting events in the same venues. This new tradition has been upheld since the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea.

What to look forward to during the Paris Paralympics

The Paris Games mark the first time that the Summer Paralympics will be hosted in France, and spectators will be able to watch 22 exciting Para sports from August 28 to September 8. Paralympians will be awarded their medals over the course of eleven intense days of competition, with fans watching for new record-breaking athletes to take the spotlight. The Games will take place amidst the beautiful scenery of Paris, including the dome of the Grand Palais, the Invalides, and at the base of the iconic Eiffel Tower. On opening day, 4,400 athletes from approximately 184 Paralympic delegations will participate in a parade at the Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde.

Athletes to look out for in the 2024 Paralympic Games

Susannah Scaroni (Para Track and Field)

The three-time US Paralympian wants to add another gold medal to her collection. Hailing from Tekoa, Washington, Scaroni won one gold and one bronze medal at the Tokyo Games and has competed in the Women’s Marathon, 5000-meter, and 800-meter events.

Morgan Ray (Para Swimming)

Paralympic hopeful Morgan Ray has been training extra hard at the U.S. Paralympic Training Center in Colorado to make sure that his name is selected for the U.S. Paralympic swimming team in Paris. The Florida native, born with achondroplasia, already has impressive feats under his belt, having competed in the Parapan American Games in 2019.

Ezra Frech (Para Track & Field - High Jump)

The one-time U.S. Para athlete is eyeing his second run in Para Track & Field, competing in both the long jump and high jump at the Tokyo Games. Using his platform as an advocate for adaptive sports, Frech is a Paralympic favorite to win a medal at the upcoming 2024 Paris Games.

Paralympic sports: variety and inclusion

The Paralympics alternate between the winter and summer seasons, as the International Paralympic Committee collaborates with adaptive sports organizations to make a multitude of sports available to Para athletes worldwide. Currently, paralympic hopefuls can compete in 22 sports in the Summer Games, including Para Taekwondo, and six sports in the Winter Games, including Para Snowboarding.

Paralympic sports have always held values of inclusion at their core, adapting sports for athletes who have a wide range of disabilities, including vision impairment, cerebral palsy, limb differences, and intellectual disabilities, among many others. Para Athletes have a wide range of events to qualify for, including popular events such as Wheelchair Basketball, Para Swimming, Para Archery, and newer additions such as Para Taekwondo.

Stream the 2024 Paris Paralympics on Peacock!