Why Should You Watch 2024 Paralympics? - Athletics Paralympics, Wheelchair Basketball, & Archery

all right buckle up because the Paris 2024 par Olympic Games have kicked off and it's going to be a wild ride think of it as the ultimate mashup of heart pounding Sports Action a dash of Parisian flare and a healthy serving of did that really just happen moments this is a celebration of human Spirit determination and athleticism with a French twist natur Paris the City of Lights love and as of August 28th the city of the most epic opening ceremony ever that's right we're talking about an event so big that they had to move it out of the stadium and smack dab into the middle of Paris the shamps Lis and plasta Concord two of the most famous spots in the world will be the stage where 4,400 athletes from 184 delegations will strut their stuff in front of 65,000 fans and a few hundred million more watching from their couches probably in their PJs Thomas jolly the artistic director promises us a show that's part history lesson part athletic showcase and part how do they top this next time moment expect performances that will leave you saying well I've never seen that before and maybe even tearing up a bit not because you're emotional but because you just dropped your croissant paralympic wheelchair basketball medalist and the IPC athletes commission president jitsy Visser can't contain her excitement and H honestly neither can we Tony Esten Paris 2024 President is on Cloud9 not just because of the spectacle but because these games are a big deal for France it's their chance to shine a spotlight on disability issues with all the charm of Paris as the backdrop it's like saying we're going to change the world and look fabulous doing it quick facts about the opening ceremony 4,400 athletes that's a lot of spandex 184 delegations because who doesn't love a good parade 65,000 Spectators all squinting to see who's who over 300 million viewers couch potatoes unite parade down the Shan it's like the Macy's Parade but with more heart four stages more chances to say wait did you see that let's be real once the glitter settles from the opening ceremony it's time for the athletes to show what they're made of on August 29th the games begin in Earnest and if you're not ready you'd better catch up quick metal events kick off with par cycling track parah swimming par table tennis and para Taekwondo Britain's Sarah story The Legend with 17 gold medals to her name is back for her ninth games ninth while some of us are struggling to make it to the gym twice a week she's out here collecting gold like it's Pokemon story is defending her title in the Paras cycling track time trial C5 and if you think anyone's going to stop her you've got another thing coming and who could forget wheelchair rugby if you're looking for something that's equal part strategy strength and oh my god did they just tackle each other in wheelchairs this is the sport for you Australia and Great Britain will duke it out in a grudge match while over in North America the USA and Canada will go head-to-head Riley bat and Chuck Aoki are back and they're not here to play nice they're here to win host nation France will take on Denmark in what promises to be a thrilling encounter at the shamp Demars Arena August 30th brings more Heavy Hitters into the ring like para Athletics and shooting Paras Sports French Sharpshooter Tangi de laforest is set to continue his golden streak and India's avani Lara will be looking to repeat her success in the 10m air rifle sh1 let's just say the competition is going to be as Fierce as trying to find a parking spot in Paris as the games roll on keep an eye out for Italian fencer beby vo who overcame menitis and the loss of her forearms and legs is aiming for her third consecutive gold in wheelchair fencing her story alone could power a small nation's morale and then there's Marcel hug Switzerland's Silver Bullet in multiple wheelchair racing including the 5000 mt54 the guy so fast the rest of the field might as well take an Uber to the Finish Line let's not forget the other stars Hannah cockroft defending her titles in the 100 mt34 and 800 mt34 and Alexis hanquin Quant the French triathlete who's practically got a reserved seat at the top of the podium in the pts4 category and if you're into multisport athletes Oxana Masters is your girl cycling skiing she does it all born in Ukraine and affected by the Chernobyl disaster she's basically the Swiss army knife of athletes as the games reach their climax get ready for the main events the blind football gold medal match wheelchair basketball finals and the paralympic marathon Yep they're running the whole sh these epic showdowns starring some of the world's most inspiring athletes will be the cherry on top of the Paris 2024 paralympic Sunday these games aren't just about competition they're about redefining what's possible with 549 events across 22 sports the Paris 2024 par Olympics will have you questioning why you've been binge watching Netflix when you could have been training for wheelchair rugby from the high-speed action of wheelchair B basketball to the strategy and precision of goal ball the range of sports is as diverse as the athletes themselves never heard of gold ball imagine soccer but instead of kicking you're throwing a ball with bells inside it while blindfolded yeah it's as wild as it sounds b is another sport that might just steal your heart think of it like Bachi but with athletes rolling leather balls to get as close to the Jack as possible it's the perfect mix of skill strategy and way wait how did they make that shot of course we've got all the classics too sitting volleyball blind soccer Judo and Par archery not to mention the always intense para Athletics swimming and cycling there's even parac canoing because apparently being on land isn't challenging enough but what really sets the paral Olympics apart is the classification system paralympic athletes must have a permanent impairment in one of three areas physical intellectual or visual athletes are grouped by functional ability rather than specific disabilities meaning competitors from different backgrounds and with different impairments face off in the same class it's like leveling the playing field but on steroids just the legal kind of course if you thought the venues for the Olympic Games Were impressive just wait until you see where the paralympians are compe competing we're talking iconic locations that make you want to drop everything and book a flight to Paris like right now the St to France is where para-athletics will take place while wheelchair tennis gets the star treatment at rolong garos if you've ever wanted to see a horse dance parad at chatau de Vera is your ticket and for the swimmers L defance Arena will host events that will make you wonder why you never stuck with swim lessons the esplanad de invalid is where parah archery will happen while the grand p is hosting wheelchair fencing and parat tondo and for the ultimate photo op there's the temporary Arena at the Eiffel Tower for blind football with a 12 860 capacity crowd this venue is going to be packed with fans listening intently for that Telltale jingle of the ball you didn't think we'd let you miss out on the action did you whether you're in the US the UK or Canada there's a way for you to tune in and catch every jaw-dropping moment in the US USA Network peacock and NBC have you covered the opening ceremony airs live on August 28th at 2 p.m. ET with an encore presentation on NBC on August 31st at 9:00 p.m. ET over in the UK Channel 4 is your goto with live broadcasts a daily breakfast show and even a review program the last leg because who doesn't need a daily dose of British humor with their Sports coverage and in Canada CBC is rolling out three daily live shows covering the biggest events basically if you miss anything it's because you're actively trying to if streaming's more your speed the par Olympics YouTube channel will have everything from live coverage to highlights and features on the athletes so whether you're at home at work or pretending to be busy at work you can catch all the action so you want to see the games in person well join the club over 1.75 million tickets have already been snapped up mostly by French residents who clearly know how to have a good time but don't worry there are still tickets available on a first come first serve basis starting at €1 15 through the Paris 2024 ticketing website and the official resale platform up to 12 hours before each session if you're feeling fancy closing ceremony tickets at €45 if you can snag them that is the Paris 2024 par Olympic games are set to be more than just a sporting event they're a movement a celebration and most importantly a whole lot of fun from the history-making opening ceremony to the heart stopping competitions these games are about to show the world that when it comes to Athletics it's not about what you can't do it's about what you can so whether you're in the stands or watching from home get get ready for 11 days of pure inspiration athleticism and maybe a few did you see that moments that'll stick with you long after the final medal is handed out and if you're lucky you might even catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in the background Viv leport