PARIS — A soft voice from the loudspeaker reminds the restless crowd: “Shhh. Shhh.” The whistle blows. Suddenly, spectators fall silent and even the slightest noise echoes through the Eiffel Tower Stadium. Fans pack the stadium, but at times, it is hard to tell. This type of ambiance is unthinkable in most sports venues, but … Read more
PARIS — As Matt Simpson strolls off the goalball court, balls echo throughout the gymnasium. Simpson is sporting a black eye while his teammates continue practicing. The room is chaotic and the energy is high, but the most notable part of this room is that nobody is in it but Team USA Goalball. For the … Read more
PARIS — Just weeks after hosting the Olympics, Paris began the final chapter of its summer of sports Wednesday with the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. Against the backdrop of a setting sun, thousands of athletes paraded down the famed Champs-Elysées avenue to Place de la Concorde in central Paris. About 50,000 people watched … Read more
Let the games begin again. The Paralympic Games are set to open Wednesday as some 4,400 athletes with disabilities, permanent injuries or impairments prepare to compete for 549 medals across 22 sports over 11 days in Paris. The French capital, which just hosted the Olympics, again provides the backdrop for what promises to be another … Read more
The first step for swimmer Ali Truwit was overcoming her newfound fear of the one place she had always felt safe — the water. Because the sound of water, any sound involving water, instantly triggered flashbacks to the day she swam for her life after being bitten by a shark. She and a friend were … Read more
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Despite being a three-time world champion in her sport, Liv Stone realized earlier this year that she may never get a chance to compete at the Olympic level. The 21-year old para-surfer was one of many in the sport’s international community who was distressed to find out that despite years of advocacy, … Read more
Screenshot: Wandercraft Paraplegic tennis player Kevin Piette lost the use of his legs 11 years ago in a crash, but thanks to assistive technology in the form of a bipedal robot, he’s walking the Olympic Torch closer to the opening ceremonies. On Wednesday the 36-year-old wheelchair tennis singles paralympian made torchbearer history by putting one … Read more
Toh, a Singaporean freestyle and butterfly swimmer, is setting his sights on medaling at the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympic Games. Singapore National Paralympic Council The 2024 Paris Games offer Singaporean para-athlete Toh Wei Soong a second chance. After narrowly missing out on the podium at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Toh is hoping to medal when … Read more
GENEVA — With an assist from Paul McCartney the Paralympic Games starts its 100-day race on Monday to the opening ceremony in Paris in August. The former Beatle has let “We All Stand Together” — the signature tune from an award-winning animated film he wrote and produced 40 years ago — be used in a … Read more
For the first time in history, Canadian Paralympic athletes will get financial rewards — like Olympic athletes do — for finishing at the podium at the Paris Games later this year. The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) made the announcement Wednesday of a new program that would see Paralympians get an equal amount of money as … Read more
