The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are already underway. From this Wednesday, August 28, until next Sunday, September 8, the French capital becomes the epicenter of sport again a few weeks after the end of the Olympic Games.
Approximately 4,400 athletes from around the worldwith a strong female presence, will be in Paris to participate in the great Paralympic event, which this year has 22 events that will be contested in the most emblematic places in the city.
A spectacular opening ceremony
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games kick off with a spectacular opening ceremony in the French capital. It will take place this Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. local time in the Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysees, unbeatable settings.
The show, directed by Thomas Jolly, “will showcase Paralympic athletes and the values they embody”said the artistic director, who also promised “performances never seen before.”
“This ceremony in the heart of the city is a strong symbol that illustrates our ambition to capitalize on the fact that our country welcomes the first Paralympic Games in its history “to place the inclusion of people with disabilities at the heart of our society,” said Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.
Marta Arce and Álvaro Valera, the standard-bearers
Those in charge of leading the Spanish delegation at the opening ceremony are: Marta Arce and Alvaro Valeratwo of the most outstanding athletes of the national Paralympic team.
Marta Arce is a 47-year-old from Valladolid who was born with albinism associated with a severe and progressive visual disability. He competes in adapted judo and has three Paralympic medals.two silver medals in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, and a bronze in London 2012.
His partner, Álvaro Valera, is an adapted table tennis player. He has muscular atrophy in his legs and has won six Olympic medals: one in Sydney 2000, three silvers, two of them in London 2012, and two bronzes, the last in Tokyo 2020.
139 Spaniards and a large female presence
In this edition, the Spanish Paralympic Committee (CPE) is taking 139 athletes to Paris, plus 11 support athletes. 36% of them are womena record percentage for Spain at the Paralympic Games, this being the second edition with the highest number of Spanish female athletes after Barcelona 1992.
The most outstanding athlete is Teresa Perales. The 48-year-old swimmer is the most successful Spanish swimmer at the Paralympic Gamess. He has 27 medals (seven gold, ten silver and ten bronze) and in Paris 2024 he could reach the 28 medals of Michael Phelps, the great legend of swimming.
Objective: to surpass the 36 medals from Tokyo
The main objective of the Spanish delegation in these Paralympic Games is surpass the 36 medals won in Tokyo three years ago. In that edition there were 9 golds, 15 silvers and 12 bronzes.
To improve and facilitate the presence of Spanish athletes in Paris, the delegation will have a support team at a nearby location to achieve powerful performance from athletes.
