Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony begins

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games opening ceremony began in glorious conditions as about 4,400 athletes made their way along the Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde.

As with the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games opening ceremony is taking place outside of a stadium for the first time in the French capital.

The main ceremony is being held at Place de la Concorde, on a perfect summer evening in the heart of the city, following a parade along the Champs-Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe.

Organisers estimate 65,000 people will be present, with spectators able to watch the parade for free before the ticketed open-air event at Place de la Concorde.

Blue, white and red smoke of the Tricolore was released by the Patrouille de France aerial display team in clear skies before the athletes made their entrance.

The first of 11 days of sporting action takes place on Thursday as France hosts a summer Paralympic Games for the first time.

Athletes from 184 delegations are set to take part in the 22 Paralympic sports, competing for a total of 549 gold medals in Paris.

Artistic director Thomas Jolly promised the opening ceremony would be “a spectacle that will showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody”, and feature “performances that have never been seen before”.

Wheelchair tennis athlete Lucy Shuker and wheelchair basketball player Terry Bywater will carry the British flag for ParalympicsGB.

Sprinter Nantenin Keita and Para-triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant are the French flagbearers at the opening ceremony.

International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons believes Paris will deliver “the most spectacular Paralympic Games ever“.

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