Elite athletes from across the world have gathered in Paris for the opening of the city’s first Paralympic Games.
Medal hopefuls from 168 delegations paraded through the French capital in glorious weather conditions on Wednesday night for an ambitious opening ceremony designed to put disability at the heart of society.
Tens of thousands of spectators primed for a party surrounded the host city’s largest public square to witness the launch, while an estimated 300 million across the globe tuned in on television.
French President Emmanuel Macron officially declared the Paralympic Games open in a ceremony held outside the confines of a stadium, like the ceremony that launched the Olympics in the city on July 26.
Around 50,000 people watched the ceremony in stands built around the Place de la Concorde, which is the biggest square in Paris and is visible from afar because of its ancient Egyptian Obelisk. Accessibility for athletes in wheelchairs was facilitated with strips of asphalt laid along the avenue and placed over the square.
More than 4,000 athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments will compete in 22 sports, from Thursday until September 8.
Under the gaze of Macron, International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons, fighter planes flew overhead, leaving red-white-and blue vapors in the colors of the French national flag, before the delegations entered the square in alphabetical order.
Some delegations were huge — more than 250 athletes from Brazil — and some were tiny — less than a handful from Barbados and just three from Myanmar.
A depleted ParalympicsGB squad – missing the many athletes yet to travel or resting at the athletes’ village ahead of competition starting on Thursday – arrived 57th in line.
Wheelchair tennis player Lucy Shuker and wheelchair basketball athlete Terry Bywater led the way as flag bearers.
British astronaut John McFall carried the Paralympic flag at the opening ceremony. He was one of only two flag bearers, along with French sailor Damien Seguin, to represent the whole Paralympic Games, rather than a specific county.
Although Wednesday night’s show started at 8pm local time, fans had gathered hours earlier under a scorching sun to get top spots along the way. As performers entertained the crowd on stage, volunteers danced alongside Paralympians as they waved their national flags and the sky gave off a postcard-perfect orange glow.
Ukraine’s delegation got a loud cheer and some of the crowd stood to applaud them.
‘From Discord to Concord’ was the theme of the extravaganza, with artistic director Thomas Jolly aiming to expose the paradox of a world which claims to be inclusive but remains full of prejudice.
The thought-provoking concept seemed particularly apt coming just two days after Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson – one of Britain’s greatest Paralympians – crawled off a train in London en route to the Games.
Accessibility issues on Paris’ metro system have further highlighted the daily struggles endured by the world’s disabled population ahead of their sporting prowess being thrust into the spotlight for the next 11 days.
Lucky Love, a French singer who lost his left arm at birth, was joined by performers in wheelchairs when he sang on stage. Then, as the national anthem played, the Obelisk lit up in the colors of the French flag.
The French delegation arrived last and to roars from the crowd, which then sang along to popular French songs, including “Que Je T’aime” by late rocker Johnny Hallyday.
The opening ceremony was attended by athletes and world leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Prince and Princess of Wales wished Paralympians the “very best of luck”.
Organisers say more than 2 million of the 2.8 million tickets have been sold for the various Paralympic events.
Tony Estanguet, the president of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, called Paralympians “immense champions who we have the honor of being with tonight.”
The first medals handed out on Thursday will be in taekwondo, table tennis, swimming and track cycling. Athletes are grouped by impairment levels to ensure as level a playing field as possible. Only two sports, goalball and boccia, don’t have an Olympic equivalent.
Mr Parsons said he hoped the Paralympics would serve “as a powerful force for good” amid ongoing global tensions.
The closing ceremony will be held at Stade de France, the national stadium.
