Just two and a half weeks after the Paris Olympic Games wrapped up, the City of Light is set to once again become the center of the sports world, this time hosting the 2024 Paralympic Games. The Games, which officially begin on Wednesday, will feature around 4,400 athletes from 182 delegations, making it the world’s largest event for athletes with various motor, sensory, and intellectual disabilities.
The Paralympic Games will kick off with an imaginative opening ceremony that promises to be as captivating as the Olympics. Approximately 65,000 spectators will witness the parade of nations, where athletes will march along the iconic Champs-Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. Directed by Thomas Jolly, who also orchestrated the Olympic ceremonies, this event will be a spectacle celebrating the determination and achievements of Paralympic athletes.
Carrying the Canadian flag at the opening ceremony will be two veteran Paralympians, Pat Anderson and Katarina Roxon. Anderson, a 45-year-old wheelchair basketball player, is no stranger to the Games, having competed in six, winning gold medals in 2000, 2004, and 2012. Roxon, 31, is making her fifth Paralympic appearance, a record for Canadian women’s swimming. She famously won an individual gold medal in 2016 in Rio and added a relay bronze in Tokyo.
Canada is sending 126 athletes to compete across 22 different Para sports, including swimming, track and field, cycling, wheelchair basketball, and many more. The competition will run for 11 days, starting Thursday, and will feature 549 events in total.
This year’s Canadian team boasts a mix of seasoned Paralympians and fresh faces. Alongside Anderson and Roxon, Brent Lakatos (track and field), Cindy Ouellet (wheelchair basketball), and Mike Whitehead (wheelchair rugby) are also competing in their sixth Paralympic Games. Ouellet, in particular, stands out as a multi-sport athlete, having also competed as a Nordic skier in the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.
Newcomers are also making their mark, with 39 athletes making their Paralympic debut. Among them is Peter Isherwood, a 47-year-old table tennis player who is the oldest rookie on the team. The youngest athlete, 17-year-old swimmer Reid Maxwell, will share a birthday during the Games with four-time Paralympic wheelchair fencer Ruth Sylvie Morel, who turns 68.
Canada has a rich history in the Paralympic Games, and many athletes on this year’s team are former medalists. Ten of them have previously won gold, including swimmers Aurelie Rivard and Danielle Dorris, track and field stars Nate Riech and Greg Stewart, and wheelchair basketball players Pat Anderson and Bo Hedges. Rivard leads the pack with five career gold medals, two of which she won in Tokyo 2021.
Brent Lakatos is another standout, having amassed 11 medals (1 gold, 8 silver, 2 bronze) across five Paralympic Games in various wheelchair track events. His impressive performance in Tokyo, where he won four silver medals, earned him the honor of being Canada’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony.
For those eager to follow the action, CBC will provide extensive coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Live coverage begins Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET with the opening ceremony, available on the CBC TV network and through streaming on CBC Gem, the Paris 2024 website, and the Paris 2024 app.
Starting Thursday, CBC will air three daily live shows: Petro-Canada Paris Prime at 2 p.m. ET, Toyota Paralympic Games Primetime at 8 p.m. local time, and Canadian Tire Paralympics Tonight at 11:30 p.m. local time. Additionally, digital coverage will include daily episodes of Rise and Stream and Hot Takes, highlighting key events and Canadian athletes to watch. These shows will be available on the Paris 2024 site and across CBC Sports’ social media platforms.
As the world turns its attention to Paris once more, Canada’s Paralympic athletes are ready to inspire and compete at the highest level. With a strong blend of experience and youthful energy, Team Canada is poised to make its mark on the global stage.
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