The bright glow of the Olympic flame at the Paris 2024 Games may now be extinguished but with the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games rapidly approaching on the horizon we give you ten good reasons to follow 11 days of exhilarating sporting action in the French capital from August 29 – September 9 (NZT).
1. Follow a Team with a proud history
The New Zealand Olympic Team produced a wonderful performance at Paris 2024 to be one of the top ranked team per capita with a haul of ten gold medals and 20 medals in total. Yet the NZ Paralympic Team also boast a very proud record, having finished the top ranked nation per capita at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games was a notably stand out performance as the team claimed nine gold, five silver and seven bronze medals with the Team posting three world records and 11 Paralympic records. Don’t miss out on how the Kiwis will fare in Paris 2024. ‘We’ll Give You Something To Talk About’.
2. Check out history-making Michael Johnson
Shooting Para sport star Paralympian #148 Michael Johnson is all set for a record-equalling sixth Paralympic Games appearance for the NZ Paralympic Team. Matching the feat of Graham Condon, Michael has been an outstanding servant to New Zealand Para sport and is a three-time Paralympic medallist. He is entered in the R4 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH2, R5 Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2 and R9 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH2 events and as evidenced by his silver medal in the former event at the World Shooting Para Sport New Delhi World Cup earlier this year, he once again has podium potential. Michael will be joined by Paralympian #204 Greg Reid and Para athlete Neelam O’Neill, a Paralympic Games debutant, on the NZ Shooting Para sport shooting team at the Châteauroux Shooting Centre.
3. The Para swimmers set to make a splash
With a whopping 141 medal events up for the grabs on the Para swimming programme at Paris 2024 expect the Paris La Defense Arena to be ablaze with excitement. New Zealand has a rich Paralympic Games history in the sport with Paralympian #166 Dame Sophie Pascoe snaring a staggering 19 medals across four Paralympic Games. Six Para swimmers will feature as part of the NZ Paralympic Team in the French capital led by Paralympian #164 Cameron Leslie, a three-time Paralympic champion, who has a busy four-event programme, while Paralympian #201 Tupou Neiufi, will seek to defend her Women’s 100m Backstroke S8 title. Completing the Team will be Paralympian #205 Jesse Reynolds, who returns for his third Paralympic Games, and Paralympic Games debutants; Josh Willmer, Lili-Fox Mason and Gaby Smith.
4. Successful Para athletics team hunt more glory
At the Kobe 2024 Para Athletics World Championships, the New Zealand team enjoyed a fantastic event, grabbing eight medals, including two golds topped by a stunning 200m T36 world record by sprint star Paralympian #211 Danielle Aitchison. The five medallists from Kobe also compete at the Stade de France optimistic of a strong showing in the white-hot furnace of Paralympic Games competition. Besides Danielle, who is entered in the 100m T36 and 200m T36, Paralympian #195 Anna Grimaldi returns hunting a hat-trick of Women’s Long Jump T47 titles after her gold medal victories in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 while Paralympian #183 Holly Robinson, the defending Women’s Javelin F46 champion will also be competing. The Dunedin-based athlete is also entered in the Women’s Shot Put F46.
Four-time Paralympic medallist Paralympian #208 Will Stedman was in blistering form at Kobe 2024 storming to 400m T36 gold and long jump T36 silver medals and he will be a medal contender once again. Paralympic debutant Mitch Joynt starts in the Men’s 200m T64 bolstered by a stunning bronze medal and national record performance in that event in Kobe. Paralympian #224 Anna Steven is set for her second Paralympic appearance in the Women’s 200m T64.
5. Follow our new Para stars
History will be made at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena when Wojtek Czyz becomes the first New Zealander to compete in the sport of Para badminton at a Paralympic Games. Wojtek, a three-time Paralympian for Germany in Para athletics, only took up Para badminton three years ago and he will be taking to the court in the Men’s Singles SL3. Matt Britz becomes the first Kiwi representative in Para table tennis for 48 years when he competes in the Men’s Singles Class 7 event. While Levin-based Para equestrian rider Louise Duncan makes her Paralympic Games debut aboard her mount Showcase in the Individual Dressage – Grade IV – Para Grand Prix Test. Louise is the first NZ Paralympic Team representative in Para equestrian for 12 years.
6. Follow the bling
While the Paris 2024 Olympic Games offered 329 sets of medals, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games offers a mind-boggling 549 medals events across 22 sports. With the competitive programme taking place across 11 days (rather than the 16 of the Olympic programme) this guarantees a lip-smacking schedule with Paralympians chasing a mass of precious metal. What’s not to like?
7. Success on two wheels?
Following the success of the New Zealand cycling team at the Olympic Games, our Para cyclists will look to also make their mark on both the track and on the road in Paris. Watch out for Paralympic debutant Devon Briggs, who blitzed to the Men’s C3 1000m Time Trial gold medal in a world record time at the 2024 Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Rio in March. Paralympian #222 Nicole Murray has snared world titles in the past and will be seeking a Paralympic podium across a busy four-event programme. Paralympian #225 Anna Taylor, a 2023 World gold medallist in the C4 Omnium, is also entered and Ben Westenberg makes his Paralympic debut on the track. The team is rounded out by Paralympian #221 and hand cyclist Rory Mead who will be looking to make his mark in the road disciplines.
8. Watch a new sport
The beauty of the Paralympic Games is its broad suite of sports to watch. From the high-octane aggression of wheelchair rugby to the captivating tension of goalball there is a jaw-dropping array of options which will amaze. Watch the mesmeric skills on show in blind football – a tournament played out to the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower – or check out the exhilarating rallies on show at the sitting volleyball. There really is something for everyone.
9. Be inspired
The countless inspirational stories at Paralympic Games never fail to amaze and the two NZ Paralympic Team representatives in the sport of Para canoe are two such examples. Peter Cowan was training for the IronMāori triathlon on his bike aged 15 when he has clipped by a car. Sustaining serious injuries, post-accident he made the difficult decision to have his injured leg amputated but post-injury has subsequently discovered Para canoe and competes in the va’a boat on the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, in the Men’s VL3 200m. His Para Canoe team-mate Paralympian #198 Scott Martlew also shares an inspirational tale. A promising rugby player he received a tear in his left quadriceps in a Crusaders curtain raiser game. Aged 16 at the time, the tear got infected with a flesh-eating bacteria and his leg had to be amputated in order to save his life. Changing his future sporting ambitions, he switched to Para canoe and is all set for his third Paralympic Games appearance in Paris – where he competes in the kayak boat in the KL2 200m and the va’a boat in the VL3 200m.
10. Don’t miss TVNZ coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
TVNZ will offer unparalleled coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games from August 29 – September 9 (NZT). Coverage will begin with the Opening Ceremony live on TVNZ and TVNZ+ from 6am with five pop up channels offering a broad range of daily coverage. Experienced sports broadcaster Scotty Stevenson will host the live coverage in the studio and will be joined by 11-time Paralympic gold medallist Dame Sophie Pascoe.
*Note, because TVNZ are taking coverage from the host broadcaster it cannot always guarantee coverage of every Kiwi competitor.
