The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games began with a spectacular opening ceremony, featuring athletes parading along the iconic Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde under perfect weather conditions. 

This marked the first time that the Paralympics’ opening ceremony was held outside a stadium in the French capital, mirroring the approach taken during the recent Olympic Games.

The Games, hosted by France for the first time, are set to commence their 11-day schedule of sporting events on Thursday. 

Approximately 4,400 athletes from a record 168 delegations will compete across 22 sports, vying for a total of 549 gold medals in Paris.

Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, emphasized the significance of the opening ceremony, describing it as the beginning of “the Paralympic revolution” driven by the athletes themselves.