Daily Sports Digests

 

Paris Unveils Historic Outdoor Paralympic Opening Ceremony

 In a groundbreaking first, the Paralympic opening ceremony in Paris captivated audiences with its outdoor extravaganza, a departure from traditional stadium settings. Just weeks after the Paris Olympics, the festivities took place on the iconic Champs-Élysées, transitioning through Place de la Concorde, the largest square in the French capital.

The event featured 140 artists, including 16 performers with disabilities, who showcased their talents alongside a parade of athletes. The celebration included musical performances by French artist Christine and the Queens, who delivered a rendition of Edith Piaf’s "Non, je ne regrette rien," as well as a piano performance by Chilly Gonzales and Sébastien Tellier’s hit "La Ritournelle."

The ceremony saw 168 delegations participating in the grand celebration. Notably, French Paralympians Sandrine Martinet, a triple bronze medalist in Para judo from Rio 2016, and Arnaud Assoumani, gold medalist in long jump F46 from Beijing 2008, took the Paralympic Oath.

A symbolic handover marked the transition from the Olympics to the Paralympics, with six-time Olympic medalist Florent Manaudou passing the torch to Michaël Jérémiasz, a Paralympic champion in wheelchair tennis from Beijing 2008 and current chef de mission for the French delegation at Paris 2024.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will feature over 4,400 athletes competing across 22 para sports in 549 medal events over the course of 11 days. Organizers anticipated more than 50,000 spectators for the ceremony, with an estimated 300 million television viewers worldwide.

Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, celebrated "the Paralympic revolution" in his opening speech, praising the perseverance of athletes. “What makes you revolutionaries is that, when they told you ‘No,’ you continued,” Estanguet said. He emphasized that as the Games begin, the focus will shift from disability to champion athletes, highlighting their extraordinary achievements.

The competition is set to commence on Thursday.

Code: OUTDOOR48