These are the 22 sports that will take place in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

After the Olympic Games were the center of attention for 19 days, now it is the turn of the Paralympic Games which get underway on Wednesday, 28 August.

Since its first edition, held in Rome in 1960, where 400 athletes from 23 countries participated, the importance and scope of the Paralympic Games have increased ten fold. In this 2024 edition of the Paralympics, 4000 athletes will compete in search of a medal.

China will seek to repeat its success from its Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games participation, where they placed first in the medal table with 207 medals (96 gold, 60 silver, and 51 bronze). Despite topping the medal table in the last five Paralympic editions, China is still far from reaching the United States’ Paralympic medals.

The Americans lead the all-time Paralympic Summer Games medal table with 2283 medals (808 gold, 736 silver, and 739 bronze); Great Britain is second with 1913 medals (668 gold, 620 silver, and 625 bronze), while China takes the third spot with 1229 (529 gold, 399 silver, and 301 bronze).

Let’s have a look at all the sports that will take place in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Which are the sports of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games?

Archery

It was one of the eight sports featured in the first Paralympic Games in 1960. For this edition, 140 athletes will participate.

Athletics

This discipline will feature the largest number of athletes participating (1,069) across 164 events. Para Athletics was also one of Rome’s 1960 Paralympic sports when it only featured 31 athletes!

Badminton

The sport debuted in Tokyo’s 2020 Paralympic Games and will feature 120 athletes for this new edition.

Blind Soccer

The sport made its first appearance at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. Brazil will try to retain its gold medal after winning in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Boccia

Boccia has been part of the Paralympics since 1984. Curiously, it is one of the two sports without an Olympic counterpart.

Canoe

It will feature 100 athletes this year, 40 more than its debut in Rio 2016.

Cycling

The sport has featured in the Paralympic program since 1984, while Track Para cycling debuted in Atlanta’s 1996 Paralympics.

Equestrian

Made its debut in the 1996 Paralympics, and Great Britain tops the all-time medal table in this sport with 34 gold, 20 silver, and 20 bronze medals.

Goalball

The other sport that has no counterpart in the Olympic Games is goalball. Men’s goalball debuted in Toronto’s 1976 Paralympics, while women’s goalball in 1984. The USA won the first-ever women’s gold medal after beating Canada in the final.

Judo

The sport will feature 16 medal events and 148 athletes. Judo first appeared in the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games.

Powerlifting

The men’s category first appeared in the Tokyo 1964 Paralympics, while women in the Sydney 2000 Games. Curiously, despite debuting in 1964, it wasn’t officially recognized as a Paralympic Sport until 1984.

Rowing

This sport will feature five medal events for 104 athletes; it first appeared in Beijing’s 2008 Paralympics.

Shooting

The sport debuted in Toronto’s 1976 Games with 31 athletes; this 2024 edition will feature 160 athletes.

Volleyball

The men’s category has been part of the Paralympic agenda since the 1980 Paralympics held in Arnhem, Netherlands, and women’s since Athens 2004. The USA is currently the women’s gold medal winner after its victory against China in the final.

Swimming

This Paris 2024 Paralympics will feature 600 athletes and 141 medal events. Swimming made its Paralympic debut in the Rome 1960 Games.

Table Tennis

Table Tennis is another sport on the Paralympic agenda since the first edition in Rome in 1960. This Paris 2024 Games will feature 280 athletes in 31 medal events.

Taekwondo

Taekwondo made its Paralympic debut in Seoul’s 1988 Games. Brazil topped Tokyo’s 2020 Paralympic Games with three medals (one gold, one silver, and one bronze).

Triathlon

It is one of the most recent Paralympic sports, debuting in Rio 2016. The United States topped the first-ever medal table in the Paralympic triathlon with two golds, one silver, and a bronze.

Wheelchair Basketball

The sport made its debut in Rome’s 1960 Paralympics. The United States won two of the first-ever gold medals and tops the general medal table with 23 medals (13 gold, 2 silver, and 8 bronze).

Wheelchair Fencing

It was also one of Rome’s inaugural sports for the 1960 Paralympics. This year, 96 athletes will compete in 16 medal events.

Wheelchair Rugby

The sport first appeared in the Atlanta 1996 Games, but as a demonstration; it was formally introduced in the Paralympic program for the Sydney 2000 Games.

Wheelchair Tennis

Last but not least, wheelchair tennis debuted in Barcelona’s 1992 Paralympics. This year, 96 athletes will participate in six medal events.