August 28, 2024

Badminton player Henriette Kos and dressage rider Peppo Puch hold red, white and red flags. “This is the greatest honor you can receive as an Austrian athlete. It’s a fantastic start and a highlight of my Paralympic career,” said Puch, who has already won six medals at the Paralympic Games. The fledgling Kos was equally moved. “For me, this is the most important task you can fulfill as an Austrian athlete.” Seventeen of the 23 red-white-red activists took part in the march.

Organizers have announced in advance that they will show “the same ambition” for the opening of the Paralympics as the Olympics. The events, which began with an extraordinary ceremony on the Seine, inspired enthusiasm around the world.

At the Place de la Concorde, more than 500 artists and artists continued their wonderful and thought-provoking programs late into the night, exciting more than 50,000 local viewers and more than 300 million people in front of TV sets around the world. “A ceremony should leave a lasting impression” is the motto. After an hour and a half of athletes’ parade, with the French national anthem “La Marseillaise” playing in the background, the French flag was raised in the night sky in front of the Eiffel Tower.

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons called for peace in his speech. “We are in the most critical phase in recent memory. At a time of increasing conflict around the world. Let sport help us unite again,” the Brazilian official said. He also used the motto of today’s French Republic, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,” to promote a more humane society and acceptance of people with disabilities.

Subsequently, President Macron briefly signaled the start of the world’s third largest sporting event, “I hereby declare the opening of the 2024 Paralympic Games.” The Paralympic flag has brought astronaut John McFall to a place of respect as he hopes to become the first person with a disability to fly into space and win a silver medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games. The Paralympic flame was finally lit by French Paralympians at 11:34 pm.

Sports competition begins on Thursday. From the red, white and red point of view, flag bearer Kuss, archers Michael Meyer, Janina Falk and Andreas Enghofer are swimming. As of September 8, approximately 4,400 athletes from around the world will compete for medals in 22 events.