Para athletes get down to business as team sports and taekwondo open the day followed by the first medals in cycling and swimming.
After a glittering and exciting Opening Ceremony, the competition at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games gets underway in the French capital. Here are some of the key moments to watch out for on Day 1, including the first medals of the Games in Para cycling.
First Paris 2024 Paralympic medal
The first Paris 2024 Paralympic medals will be awarded in Para cycling – the women’s C4-5 500 metre time trial. Nicole Murray will star for New Zealand in the qualification event, which will see the six fastest riders advance to the final in the afternoon.
Keiko Sugiura, who became the oldest Japanese Paralympian to win gold at Tokyo 2020, is aiming to extend her record in Paris. Now 53, she is looking to open her campaign on a good note. She will race in the women’s C1-3 3000m individual pursuit in the morning.
Khudadadi targets first medal for Refugee Team
Para taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi wants to make history at Paris 2024 by winning the first-ever medal for the Refugee Paralympic Team. Khudadadi, who has been training with the French national team, won her breakthrough title at the European Para Championships last year.
She will compete at the Paralympics for the second time, this time in the women’s K44 -47kg category. While she is among the medal favourites, she is expected to face tough competition from a field of talented athletes, including Peru’s Leonor Angelica Espinoza Carranza.
Fifteen medal events in the pool
There will be fierce competition in the pool from Day 1, with 15 gold medals awarded at the La Defense Arena.
Italian sensation Simone Barlaam, who earned five golds at last year’s World Championships in Manchester, Great Britain, will race in his first of five events at Paris 2024. He finished sixth in the 400m freestyle S9 at Tokyo 2020, but he won this event at the Worlds last year.
Team sports start in Paris
Hosts France will open their men’s sitting volleyball campaign on Day 1. They will face Kazakhstan in Pool A. In the women’s tournament, Rwanda will compete in their third straight tournament, this time with a goal of finishing on the podium after settling for seventh place at Tokyo 2020. They will play against Brazil in the opening game.
In wheelchair rugby, fans will see the clash of titans at Champ-de-Mars Arena. Defending Paralympic champions Great Britain will face reigning world champions Australia in the preliminary group. Hosts France will start their campaign against Denmark with the home crowd supporting along.
Bercy Arena will stage five wheelchair basketball games.
