PARIS — The Paralympic Games, set to commence on Wednesday, aim to deliver a series of remarkable sporting achievements, despite the challenge of following the Paris Olympics. With around 4,400 athletes facing various life-altering impairments, the event underscores the resilience of the human spirit, showcasing the triumph over adversity.
Italian fencer Bebe Vio, who has overcome significant obstacles after losing her forearms and legs to meningitis as a child, is among the competitors aiming for her third consecutive gold medal in wheelchair fencing. Vio’s inspiring message on her website emphasizes the mantra: “If it seems impossible, then it can be done!”
The Paralympics feature 22 different sports, with 549 events awaiting competition. Notably, only goalball and boccia lack Olympic counterparts. Goalball, involving teams of visually impaired athletes, is played on a volleyball-sized court, where players take turns rolling a bell-filled ball towards the opposing goal. In boccia, participants aim to throw or roll leather balls as close as possible to a small target ball known as a jack.
Other wheelchair sports include basketball, rugby, and tennis, and athletes will also compete in sitting volleyball, blind soccer, para archery, athletics, badminton, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, judo, powerlifting, rowing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, and triathlon. Notably, blind soccer matches will unfold in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
To qualify for the Paralympics, athletes must have a permanent impairment due to a health condition, as outlined by the International Paralympic Committee. Conditions leading to such impairments can include cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, amputations, and vision loss.
Athletes are classified based on the extent of their impairment to ensure fair competition. This classification system is designed to group athletes according to their functional abilities rather than the specifics of their disabilities.
The Paralympics categorize impairments into three main groups: physical, visual, and intellectual. Physical impairments are further divided into eight categories including impaired muscle power and limb deficiency. Each sport develops its own structure for classification, creating opportunities for athletes of varying disabilities to compete against each other in the same sports class.
All participants undergo evaluations by expert panels determining their appropriate sports classes. This approach ensures that every athlete has a fair chance to compete, fostering a competitive spirit grounded in sporting excellence.