The 2024 Summer Paralympics will be held in Paris over the next 12 days. The event will bring together more than 4,000 athletes from around the world. It marks the first time France has hosted the event. These Games will feature 549 medal events in 22 sports. Many of the competitions will take place in the shadow of the city’s landmarks. These include the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais, and the Chateau de Versailles. The Opening Ceremonies will be held at the Champs-Élysées at the Place de la Concorde.
When do the Paralympics start and what is the schedule?
The Opening Ceremonies will be held on Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern time and broadcast on USA Network. Competition will take place from Aug. 29 through Sept. 8. The Games will conclude with the Closing Ceremonies at the Stade De France after the final events. You can find the full schedule here.
Who are the top U.S. athletes to watch?
The United States will have 225 athletes in Paris, including 141 returning Paralympians. Notable athletes include swimmer Jessica Long, who has 29 medals, making her the second most in U.S. Paralympic history, and Oksana Masters, who has won 18 medals across multiple disciplines. Also look out for seven-time Paralympian Tatyana McFadden, who has won 20 medals in her career. The U.S. men’s wheelchair basketball team will be seeking its third consecutive gold medal. The women’s sitting volleyball team will also be seeking a third straight Paralympic title.
What is classification?
Each Paralympic sport has its own classification system, designed to guarantee fair and equal competition. Athletes are divided into classes based on their functional ability related to their impairment. You can find specific criteria and classes for each sport here.
What sports are unique to the Paralympics?
Boccia and goalball are the two Paralympic sports without Olympic equivalents. Boccia is played by athletes with severe impairments that affect motor performance, like bowls. Goalball was developed for athletes with vision impairments. It is played by two teams on a court with a net at each end.
How did the Paralympics start?
The Paralympics are traditionally held about two weeks after the conclusion of the Olympics. Paralympic history dates to 1948 at a veterans hospital in Stoke Mandeville, just north of London. The first Games were held in 1960 in Rome.
How can I watch?
The Paralympics in Paris will feature more than 140 hours of network television. It will also include 1,500 hours of streaming, the most in the history of the Games. Peacock will offer live coverage across all 12 days of competition. NBC will host three prime time windows showing highlights, including on Aug. 30 (9 p.m. Eastern time), Sept. 1 (7 p.m.), and Sept. 6 (9 p.m.), while USA Network will show at least nine hours of coverage each weekday beginning on Aug. 29. You can find the full list of viewing options here.
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