Let The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games Begin!
The 2024 Paris Paralympic Games have kicked off with an Opening Ceremony held at Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées.
This is the first time France is hosting the Summer Paralympics. Previously, Tignes and Albertville (in southeastern France) jointly hosted the 1992 Winter Paralympics.
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Here are some of the highlights from the groundbreaking celebration in the heart of Paris. The Summer Paralympic Games are taking place from August 28 to September 8.
Opening Parade
The Paris Paralympics’ Opening Ceremony, like the Olympics that just took place a few weeks ago, was held outside of a stadium.
Athletes from 168 delegations paraded down the Champs-Élysées in front of over 35,000 fans. French para swimmer Théo Curin opened the event, as he drove in a cab covered with Phryges plushies, the Games’ official mascot.
The French team joined the parade route to the tune of “Les Champs-Élysées” by American-French singer Joe Dassin. The parade then wrapped up at the La Concorde arena.
Performances Galore
Alexander Ekman choreographed the Opening Ceremony, enlisting 140 artists and 16 performers with disabilities.
Canadian musician Chilly Gonzales played the piano surrounded by hundreds of dancers. Later, French artist Christine and the Queens performed a pop rendition of Edith Piaf’s “Non, je ne regrette rien.”
Lucky Love, a French singer who lost his left arm at birth, sang his track “My Ability” joined by performers in wheelchairs. Love has also been a figure of Parisian LGBTQ+ nightlife.
“They didn’t wait for the Paralympics for inclusion. So that made me want to be there,” he told Le Monde, after realizing that director Thomas Jolly wanted the event to be on par with the Olympic Games’ Opening Ceremony.
Rousing Speeches
“Dear athletes, welcome to the country of love and revolution. Rest assured, tonight, no Storming of the Bastille, no guillotine, because tonight the most beautiful revolution starts—the Paralympic revolution,” Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said in his speech.
“The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will show what persons with disabilities can achieve at the highest level when the barriers to succeed are removed,” Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, added.
“These Paralympians are not here to participate,” Parsons continued. “They are here to compete, win, and smash world records…But they are also here for equality for the nearly 1.3 billion persons around the world with disabilities. They will redefine what you think is possible.”
Meet Team Philippines
This year, six athletes will be representing the Philippines at the Summer Paralympics, competing in four sports.
These are para swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Angel Otom, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan and para javelin thrower Cendy Asusano (both under athletics), para archer Agustina Bantiloc, and para taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin.
The country first made its Paralympics debut at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul. Our athletes have won a total of two bronze medals across seven Paralympics, one in powerlifting (Adeline Dumapong) and another in table tennis (Josephine Medina).
At this year’s Opening Ceremony, Filipino athletes wore uniforms designed by women’s fashion brand Ditta. This was the first time the brand ventured into designing for men as well.
Meanwhile, the women wore wraps made of hand-woven Banaca fabric in blue and red, representing the Philippine flag. Their outfit also featured a brooch shaped like a sun in yellow.
Bantiloc’s first competition will take place on August 29, 7 pm. Mangliwan’s first heat is on August 30, 4:57 pm.
Gawilan and Ganapin’s first games will both occur on August 31 (3:30 pm and 4 pm respectively).
Otom’s first competition takes place on September 3, 3:30 pm while Asusano competes in the women’s javelin throw on September 7, 4:08 pm.
Banner image via Instagram @dittasandico.
