On Aug. 28, the Paralympics kicked off in Paris, France, with its opening ceremony outside of a stadium on the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde. This began 12 days of athletes taking the world stage near some of the most iconic landmarks in the world, such as the foot of the Eiffel tower, the Château de Versailles and the Grand Palais.
The first Paralympics Games took place in Rome, Italy, in 1960 with only 400 athletes. In 2024, there were over 4,400 athletes and 22 sports featured in the Paralympics. Many of Team USA’s top athletes shined in the 2024 Games, including the women’s sitting volleyball team, Hunter Woodall and Fiona Howard.