Paralympics 2024 has not started yet but there are already many records

This will be the first time the Paralympic Opening Ceremony has been held outside a stadium. Athletes will parade down the Champs-Elysees to the Place de la Concorde. An estimated 65,000 spectators are expected to witness the historic moment - seen as a demonstration of Paris's commitment to increasing accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities.

According to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Paris 2024 Paralympics will have a record number of sports delegations, athletes and female participants. Although the official number has not been confirmed, it is expected that this year's Paris Games will have about 4,400 athletes from 168 sports delegations competing, including the Refugee Sports delegation (including 8 athletes). In addition, there are 88 athletes from Russia and 8 athletes from Belarus coming to Paris to compete as neutral athletes. The number of 168 sports delegations participating in the Paris 2024 Paralympics has surpassed the previous record of 164 delegations at the London 2012 Paralympics in the UK and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics (in Japan). The previous record for the number of athletes participating in the Paralympics was held by Tokyo 2020 with 4,393 athletes. In Paris this year, Eritrea, Kiribati and Kosovo are the three sports delegations making their Paralympic debut.

Of the Paralympians in Paris competing in 549 events across 22 sports, 1,983 are female, or 45% of the total. This surpasses the previous record of 1,846 (42%) set at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and more than double the 988 who participated at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics in Australia. The Paris 2024 Paralympics will also feature more women’s medal events than ever before, with 235.

IPC President Andrew Parsons said the IPC has always worked hard to work with its member federations to further develop the Paralympic Movement. Therefore, achieving both a record number of participating teams and a record number of female athletes is a great result, reflecting the great efforts of the National Paralympic Committees and International Federations, especially the three National Paralympic Committees participating in the Paralympics for the first time.

"The 168 participating delegations in Paris 2024 represent a 24% increase on the 135 participating countries in Athens 2004, and the near-achievement of gender parity in just 64 years since the first Paralympics is rapid progress. More impressive is the increase in the number of participating delegations, the increase in the number of female athletes and the improvement in the quality of competition. I believe that Paris 2024 will be the best Paralympics ever in terms of sporting performance and level of competition in all 22 sports. Since 2016, the IPC has invested millions of euros each year in the Paralympic development programme of its member organisations, with a key focus on increasing the participation of women at all levels. These efforts, combined with the excellent work of the National Paralympic Committees and International Federations, are starting to pay off," he said. record fruit

China - which has topped the medal table at every Paralympics since Athens 2004 - has the largest contingent at this year's games, with 282 athletes (124 men and 158 women). Brazil - the host of the Rio 2016 Paralympics - has the second largest contingent at this year's games with 255 athletes (138 men and 117 women), followed by host France with 237 athletes (155 men and 82 women). The 2024 Paralympics will be the first time France will compete in all sports.

The French delegation has 82 female athletes, the largest number in the Paralympics and more than double the 37 female athletes attending Tokyo 2020. The youngest athlete of the French delegation is Marie N'Goussou, 15 years old (Athletics).
The US will have 220 athletes (110 men and 110 women), while Britain will have 201 athletes (109 men and 92 women).

35 National Paralympic Committees have a record number of female athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, while 27 National Paralympic Committees have more female athletes than male athletes. 15 Para sports - Cycling, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Canoeing, Equestrian, Judo, Weightlifting, Rowing, Shooting, Swimming, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Table Tennis and Rugby - have more female athletes competing than at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Equestrian (17 men/61 women) and Weightlifting (89 men/90 women) had more female athletes than male athletes, while Badminton, Goalball, Rowing and Wheelchair Basketball were gender balanced. Boccia (68 men/57 women), Judo (79 men/68 women), Taekwondo (61 men/60 women), Paralympic Triathlon (66 men/55 women), Sitting Volleyball (96 men, 91 women) and Wheelchair Fencing (49 men/48 women) were close to gender balance.

Athletics is the sport with the largest number of athletes participating at the 2024 Paralympics, with 1,135 athletes competing in 164 medal events. Swimming is the second largest sport with 608 athletes competing in 141 medal events. Paralympic table tennis has the third largest number of athletes with 281 athletes competing in 31 medal events.