For 12 days, Paris was the stage for many heroes to overcome challenges, and show their talents to the world.
During the Olympics, the viewing for those sports that are competed increases. Especially, when compared to the viewing during the break time, of 4 years, between editions.
These were the games with the biggest crowds and media attention ever recorded in Paralympic history, representing an important mark for the growth of Paralympic sports.
Brazilian days to remember
For Brazilians, this edition will be remembered for the first time the delegation reached the top 5 in the medal ranking. With 89 medals, 25 being golds, Brazil fought with Italy for the 5th position until the last game days.
Let’s dive into a few names that marked the country’s history!
The swimmer Gabriel Araújo, known as Gabrielzinho, won 3 gold medals alone. He won three categories in the swimming competition, and ‘kneaded’ his opponents, as he himself used to say.
Jerusa Geber made the dream of gold in her career a reality. She has at her side Gabriel Garcia, an Olympic athlete and her guide, who crossed the finish line of the women’s 200 m in athletics, winning the T11’s class.
Rayane Soares da Silva breaks 29-year-old world record in 400m race. She won the women’s 400m T13 final to break a record that had been standing for almost three decades, established by US’s Marla Runyan in LA (1995).
Swimming and athletics led the Brazilian medals, respectively, with 26 and 36 podiums, the best participation in quantitative numbers in the history of the sports.
But what gave the final boost to the record was Judo which, in the last few days, surprised everyone and left the country leader of this sport.
Histories around the world
Thousands of athletes from 184 countries participated in the record-breaking Summer Games. Paris was full of dreams coming true, emotional and dramatic moments.
We could see many couples being part of romantic scenes, such as Alessandro Ossola and Arianna Mandradoni. After competing in the men’s 100 m T63 in front of 40,000 people at Stade France, Alessandro asked his girlfriend to marry him.
The emotions also reached the Refugee Paralympic team when Cindy Ngamba, the first Afghan female taekwondo athlete, won the first ever medal for them (bronze).
In the team sports, the USA won their third consecutive men’s wheelchair basketball gold and France breaking blind football medal drought in front of the Eiffel Tower.
The British Jodie Grinham showed what women can achieve besides everything. She competed in her seventh month of pregnancy, becoming bronze medalist in the open compound archery class, and the first pregnant on the podium in the history of the Paralympics.
LA 2028
The Paris 2024’s Paralympics for sure will be written in history books. Not just for all heroes that passed through many historical moments, but also for the crowd and media coverage, which was the biggest ever.
Paris 2024 will be in our hearts, and hope in the athlete’s hearts too. As a personal sports fan, I am happy and proud to see the success of Paralympics.
My honest wish is that these sports keep growing and keep catching audiences worldwide. As the preparation for the next edition starts since the current season is over, our athletes are already preparing for Los Angeles.
See you in LA 2028!
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The article above was edited by Beatriz Gatz.
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