In search of one thing to fill the Olympic-sized void in your coronary heart?

In that case, you’ll be thrilled to listen to that hundreds of elite athletes from all over the world have converged in Paris to compete for medals throughout dozens of sports activities.

Sure, we’re speaking in regards to the Paralympics.

The 2024 Paralympic Video games kick off with an out of doors opening ceremony on Wednesday and run till Sept. 8.

Organizers are already touting it as one for the report books, with an all-time excessive variety of delegations, feminine athletes collaborating and international broadcasters masking it.

It’s the primary summer time Paralympic Video games to happen in France, and the primary time since COVID-19 that spectators are allowed to fill the stands.

There will probably be loads of storylines and athletes to observe because the 12 days unfold, from redemption missions to rivalries to energy {couples}.

Among the many tales we’re eyeing: China, which has dominated the final 5 Paralympics, is seeking to proceed its profitable streak. An Italian sprinter is about to develop into the first transgender lady to compete at a Paralympics. And several other extremely adorned members of Crew USA — together with some multi-season athletes — wish to break new information.

Right here’s what to know and how you can comply with alongside.

What’s the distinction between the Olympics and Paralympics?

The Olympics and Paralympics are each multi-sport occasions and have been held in the identical metropolis and yr because the 1988 Summer season Video games in Seoul and the 1992 Winter Video games in France.

The competitions are actually held in tandem: The phrase “Paralympic” consists of the Greek preposition “para,” which means “beside.”

However there are some variations between the 2, which have their very own governing our bodies.

The fashionable Olympics began within the late nineteenth century, whereas the Paralympics grew out of a British hospital for World Battle II veterans in 1948.

Olympic athletes are usually able-bodied, whereas the Paralympics characteristic athletes with disabilities.

There are 10 eligible impairment varieties: eight bodily (together with limb deficiency and impaired muscle energy), in addition to imaginative and prescient and mental impairment. Athletes are grouped into classes primarily based on the “diploma of exercise limitation ensuing from their impairments.”

The Particular Olympics, by the way in which, is a separate factor altogether.

What sports activities are a part of the Paralympics?

Para athletes will compete in 549 medal occasions throughout 22 sports activities, each particular person and group.

Notably, two Paralympic sports activities don’t have an Olympic equal: goalball and boccia.

The remainder of the record consists of sitting volleyball; wheelchair rugby, tennis, basketball and fencing; rowing; equestrian; swimming; para triathlon and extra.

In some sports activities — together with para athletics, para triathlon and para biking — visually impaired athletes compete alongside a sighted “information” or “pilot” (a few of whom are Olympians themselves). Since 2012, the guides have been awarded medals, too.

Paris organizers say the sports activities with essentially the most opponents are para athletics (1,135 athletes), para swimming (608) and para desk tennis (281).

What number of nations and athletes are collaborating?

The Worldwide Paralympic Committee says a report variety of delegations are competing within the Video games this yr (they mentioned the identical of the Tokyo Video games in 2021, too).

Whereas the ultimate headcount hasn’t been confirmed, organizers say Paris will welcome roughly 4,400 athletes from 168 delegations.

That quantity consists of the Nationwide Paralympic Committees of 167 international locations, an eight-member Refugee Paralympic Crew and as many as 96 impartial athletes — 88 from Russia and eight from Belarus. Athletes from these two international locations will not be allowed to compete beneath their flag following Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Plus, three delegations will probably be represented on the Paralympics for the primary time: Eritrea, Kiribati and Kosovo.

Organizers say the most important delegations are China (282 athletes), Brazil (255) and France (237).

Additionally they say this yr will characteristic a report 1,983 feminine opponents and extra medal occasions — 235 — for girls than ever earlier than. The Paris Olympics have been hailed as “gender equal,” although many say there’s nonetheless room for enchancment.

What are some Crew USA names to know?

The U.S. is sending 225 athletes — together with 5 guides — to Paris, with an equal variety of women and men.

The para athletes on Crew USA come from 38 states (California, Illinois and Texas are closely represented) and vary in age from 15 to 52.

Wheelchair basketball legend Steve Serio and sitting volleyball star Nicky Nieves have been chosen because the group’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony. Listed here are another names to observe:

• Multi-season athletes Oksana Masters (para biking and para Nordic snowboarding), Aaron Pike (para observe and subject and para Nordic snowboarding) and Kendall Gretsch (para triathlon and para Nordic snowboarding) are comparatively contemporary off the 2022 Beijing Winter Video games, the place Masters grew to become the most adorned U.S. winter Paralympian of all time.
• Swimmer Jessica Lengthy is the second-most adorned U.S. Paralympian in historical past, with 29 Paralympic medals beneath her belt (together with 16 gold). She’s seeking to proceed her streak in Paris, her sixth Video games. 
• Monitor and subject stars Tatyana McFadden, Roderick Townsend, and Brittni Mason are aiming to get again on the medal podium, which they did in Tokyo. 
• Chuck Aoki has helped carry the boys’s wheelchair rugby group for almost a decade. They’re favored to choose up one other medal this yr, which might be their fourth since 2012. 
• Sarah Adam is poised to develop into the first lady to characterize Crew USA in wheelchair rugby at a Paralympic Video games
• Swimmer Abbas Karimi, who was born in Afghanistan, will compete in his first Paralympic Video games as a U.S. citizen. He competed on the refugee group in Tokyo 2020. 
• The world report that sprinter Nick Mayhugh set in Tokyo nonetheless stands heading into Paris, the place he’s aiming for an additional gold. He will even compete in lengthy leap.
• Monitor and subject athlete Hunter Woodhall went viral on the Olympics for supporting his spouse, gold-medal-winning lengthy jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall. Woodhall, who runs on two prosthetics, will get his personal turns within the highlight when he competes within the 100-meter race and the 400-meter race. (Psst: The Woodhalls aren’t the one Paralympic energy couple this yr.)

How (and when) do I watch?

The Paralympics opening ceremony will run from 2 p.m. to five:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and can air stay on USA Community and stream on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms, based on NBC. NBC will even air an encore presentation from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Friday.

Just like the Olympic opening ceremony, this would be the first Paralympic opening ceremony held exterior of a stadium. The ceremony is directed by Thomas Jolly — who oversaw final month’s occasions — and can parade down the river Seine from the Champs-Elysees to the Place de la Concorde.

The Paralympics historically get much less protection and viewership than the Olympics, however organizers are working to alter that. They are saying a report variety of broadcasters are set to cowl these Video games, with media rights holders in additional than 160 international locations and territories.

Paris additionally marks the primary Paralympic Video games to supply not less than some stay protection from every of the 22 sports activities. For these curious: swimming, biking and males’s wheelchair basketball begin Thursday, whereas observe and subject begins Friday. You may view the full competitors schedule right here.

NBC says it’ll stream some 1,500 hours of stay protection — essentially the most ever for a Paralympics — on Peacock all through the course of the almost two weeks (keep in mind, Paris is six hours forward of E.T.). Authenticated customers also can watch through NBCParalympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC Sports activities App and the NBC App.

Beginning Thursday, it’ll additionally characteristic not less than 9 hours of programming a day — targeted on the “hottest” occasions — on the USA Community within the mornings and afternoons.

NBC can be planning three separate prime-time home windows. On Friday, it’ll present highlights from the opening ceremony and recap the primary two days of competitors. On Sunday at 7 p.m. ET it’ll recap the following two days. Its closing broadcast, slated for 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 6, will recap the complete second week.

The closing ceremony will happen two days afterward Sunday, Sept. 8, at 2 p.m. ET.

Earlier than lengthy, it’ll be time for the 2026 Winter Video games in Milan — however fear not, there are nonetheless loads of compelling competitions to tide you over till then.

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