Paralympics Opening Ceremony: What Time to Tune In and Key Details

Key Facts

The Summer 2024 Paris Olympics wrapped up on August 11, but the Paralympics will commence this week, running through September 8. You can find the complete schedule of events [here].

This will be the first time the Summer Paralympic Games are held in France and the first occasion since the COVID-19 pandemic that spectators will be allowed to attend in full capacity.

Over 4,000 athletes from 184 delegations, encompassing a range of physical, intellectual, and visual impairments, will compete in 22 sports over the next 11 days. Athletes are categorized into 10 classifications based on their impairments, including eight physical categories (such as limb deficiency and leg length difference), as well as vision and intellectual impairments. Groupings are based on the "degree of activity limitation resulting from their impairments."

How to Watch the Opening Ceremony

Coverage of the opening ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. EDT on USA Network and stream live on Peacock. The ceremony itself starts at 2 p.m. EDT. Peacock will offer live streaming of all events and full replays for those unable to watch live. The Paralympics will also be broadcast live on NBC, CNBC, and USA Network.

Team USA Flagbearers

Nicky Nieves, a gold medalist in sitting volleyball, will be the female flag bearer for Team USA. Steve Serio, a gold medalist in sitting basketball, will be the male flag bearer.

What to Expect at the Opening Ceremony

Unlike the Olympics, this year’s Paralympics opening ceremony will not be held in a stadium. Instead, athletes will parade down the Champs-Elysées and gather at Place de la Concorde. The ceremony will highlight the Paralympic athletes and the values they represent, as described by Thomas Jolly, the artistic director. While performer names have not been announced, Jolly promises "unprecedented performances" in a "spectacle that will unite audiences globally around the unique spirit of the Paralympic Games."

Background

The Paralympics began in 1946 at a veterans hospital in Stoke Mandeville, north of London, with the first official Games held in Rome in 1960. Traditionally, the Paralympics take place about two weeks after the Olympics and have been hosted in the same city and venue since 1988. Sports include Olympic equivalents like para triathlon, wheelchair basketball, and tennis. Unique sports to the Paralympics include goalball, designed for athletes with visual impairments, and boccia, for athletes with severe motor impairments. Goalball involves teams trying to roll a ball into the opponent's goal, with players wearing eye shades and using bells inside the ball for tracking. Boccia involves rolling a leather ball close to a small white ball, called the jack, to score points.

Surprising Fact

In certain events like para-cycling and paratriathlon, visually impaired athletes are paired with sighted guides who assist them. Since 2012, these guides have also been awarded medals.