Paralympics day 1: cyclists, swimmers, taekwondo fighters go for gold as Paris Games begin
Cycling, swimming, taekwondo and table tennis medals are on offer while tales abound in badminton and wheelchair rugby
Competition gets under way at the Paralympic Games in Paris on Thursday, with athletes getting their first medals in four of the 22 scheduled sports.
The first Paralympian medallists will be the track cyclists at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome.
There is a packed day of swimming at Paris’ La Défense Arena, with a raft of heats in the morning and 15 gold medals on offer throughout the evening – starting with men’s 400 metres freestyle and concluding with the women’s 200m freestyle.
Table tennis bronze medal matches are happening at the South Paris Arena and taekwondo contenders face off in the evening at the glass-roofed Grand Palais just off the famed Champs-Elysées.
Here’s a closer look at what to watch for on Day 1 of the Paralympics. A total of 4,400 athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments are competing until September 8.
