The Paralympic Games will commence on Wednesday in Paris, with around 4,400 athletes with disabilities competing for 549 medals across 22 sports over 11 days.
Paris, having recently hosted the Olympics, will once again be the backdrop for this remarkable event.
The opening ceremony will take place at the historic Place de la Concorde, which previously hosted Olympic skateboarding and basketball events.
The International Paralympic Committee President expressed the symbolic significance of Paris embracing these athletes.
Equestrian events return to Château de Versailles, while the Grand Palais transitions from Olympic fencing to wheelchair fencing.
The Eiffel Tower will now host blind soccer, showcasing adapted sports in iconic Parisian venues, enhancing the city’s allure.
The Paralympics include 22 sports, with goalball and boccia being the only non-Olympic equivalents.
These games have added 10 medal events since Tokyo to increase opportunities for female athletes and those with high-support needs.
Around 2 million tickets have been sold, making this the second most-attended Paralympics after London 2012.
The Paralympic flame, lit in Stoke Mandeville, will travel through France, igniting excitement for the upcoming competitions, which begin on Thursday.
