Japan's Paralympics joy marred by COVID anxiety as surging cases fill hospital beds

Tokyo — The 13-day Tokyo Paralympics was in full swing Monday, featuring a record number of disabled athletes — more than 4,400 this year — competing in over 500 events. The U.S. was ranking third in the medals table. To many people in Japan, however, the massive sporting event may as well be taking place in a parallel universe. The Paralympics have been playing out as Japan grapples with one of its worst COVID-19 surges since the pandemic began.

Across 22 sports, from basketball to swimming, the Paralympics has been highlighting elite athletes and shattering stereotypes of disability as they break records. The latest in assistive technology has been on display, including advanced curved running blades and wheelchairs customized for everything from fencing to rugby.