The Olympic fever in Paris shows no sign of stopping this summer, as the attention quickly turns toward the start of the 2024 edition of the Paralympics just two weeks after the Closing Ceremony at the Stade de France. An exciting two-week event is set for France, but which nations could be set to experience success in the multi-sport event?
When Are The Paralympics?
The 2024 Summer Paralympics will get underway on August 28, with the opening ceremony taking place at the Place de la Concorde. The Games will continue across the next two weeks, before the Olympic summer is brought to a close with the Closing Ceremony on September 8.
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Paralympics 2024 Sports
Across the next two weeks, sporting fans will be able to watch a variety of sports, which will be competed by some of the brightest and most talented stars in the world of para-sports. Overall, there will be 549 events with gold medals up for grabs, with a total of 22 sports making up the program.
Track and field events will once again be contested at the Stade De France, while other prominent betting events on the Paralympics schedule include swimming, cycling, and table tennis.
Most Successful Paralympic Nations
The Paralympics have been staged in unison with the Summer Olympics since 1988, and it now regarded as one of the world’s largest sporting events. In 2020, 4,250 athletes competed at the Games, with 163 nations represented. The United States will once again be the front-runners to top the medal standings after winning a record 808 golds.
Overall, the American team has won 2,283 medals, which is just over 300 more than Great Britain. Team GB has won the second most golds with 667, while China, Canada, and Australia round off the top five places in the all-time list.
Stars To Watch At The 2024 Paralympics
Alexa Leary
Australia dominated in the pool at the Summer Olympics, and that success looks set to continue at the Paralympics. Alexa Leary is one of the bright emerging stars that looks set to capture the imagination.
The 23-year-old will compete in the S9 class, and comes to Paris after winning the gold medal in the 100m freestyle at the World Para Swimming Championships. She also won the silver in the 50m freestyle at the championships last year.
Simone Barlaam
Italy are one of the emerging powerhouses in the world of swimming in the Paralympics, and Simone Barlaam has been at the heart of the success that they have enjoyed. The 24-year-old will have a busy schedule in Paris this summer, competing in the 400m freestyle, 50m freestyle, and 100m backstroke.
Barlaam shared his disappointment over his performances at the previous Games, but he still won a gold and two silvers. He is very much the man to beat this year after winning six golds in as many races at the World Championships last summer.
Oksana Masters
Oksana Masters will be a leading American hope at the Paralympics this year after achieving success in both the winter and summer Games during her career. She has overcome so much during her life after being born shortly after the Chornobyl disaster in Ukraine, before being adopted by an American family when aged seven.
Masters won bronze in rowing at London 2012, before switching to para-cycling and cross-country skiing. Further success followed after winning two golds in the 2018 Winter Games, before winning two more golds in Japan and three further top prizes at the previous Winter Paralympics.
Jonnie Peacock
Team GB have been one of the most successful nations at the Paralympics, and at the heart of that has been the performances of Jonnie Peacock. The 31-year-old won the gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Games in the T44 Men’s 100m, before winning the bronze in Tokyo.
Peacock will be chasing further success on the global stage this summer, and he could be challenging to oppose after winning two World Championships during his professional career.
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