Thousands of athletes paraded down the Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde, where President Emmanuel Macron opened the Paralympic Games. Accessibility for wheelchair athletes was improved with asphalt strips.
Paris launched its first Paralympic Games with a vibrant show of music and dance, extending the Olympic spirit and raising disability awareness. Five athletes lit the Paralympic cauldron in the Tuileries Garden. Flag bearers Nantenin Keita and Alexis Hanquinquant were joined by other prominent French parasport athletes.
Macron’s declaration marked France’s first time hosting the event. The esplanade transformed into a dance floor and platform for disability messages. Singer Lucky Love performed “My Ability,” followed by speeches calling for an “inclusion revolution.”
The opening ceremony featured 140 dancers and 16 performers with disabilities. The Palestinian delegation and the Paralympic Refugee Team received loud cheers, with France entering to ovations.
British astronaut John McFall brought the Paralympic flag, followed by a performance of the anthem by blind pianist Luan Pommier. The final torchbearers lit the cauldron, signaling the start of the Games.
With 2 million tickets sold, the Games will run for 11 days with extensive media coverage. The first medals will be awarded in para-swimming, taekwondo, cycling, and table tennis.