The Paralympic Games have begun — here's who to watch on Day 1
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The world's largest celebration of athletes with disabilities kicked off today in Paris with a festive opening ceremony including the usual mix of live performers, music and official protocols.
For the parade of nations, more than 4,000 athletes from 180-plus delegations marched along the Champs-Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, where they took part in a show designed by Olympic ceremonies director Thomas Jolly.
The Iranian delegation included 8-foot-1 Morteza Mehrzad, the second-tallest person alive and the tallest ever to compete in the Paralympics. He helped Iran win back-to-back gold medals in men's sitting volleyball in 2016 and 2021 and is a three-time world player of the year.
Canada's flag was carried by wheelchair basketball player Pat Anderson and swimmer Katarina Roxon, who have a combined 11 Paralympic appearances between them. They were selected from a team of 126 Canadian athletes who will compete in 18 of the 22 sports taking place over the next 11 days.
Here are the leading candidates on Thursday, in chronological order:
Track cycling: Kate O'Brien in the women's C4-5 500m time trial final at 9:45 a.m. ET
Assuming she gets through the qualifying round at 6 a.m. ET, O'Brien will have a shot at winning gold in the final. The former bobsledder and Olympic cyclist, who turned to Para cycling after a devastating 2017 crash on the velodrome left her with a serious brain injury, won the world title in the C4 500m time trial in 2020 and took silver in this event at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. O'Brien was also the runner-up at the 2022 and '23 world championships before placing fifth this year.
Canada's Keely Shaw is also competing in this event. She finished ninth at this year's worlds, where she took bronze in the individual pursuit.
Swimming: Shelby Newkirk in the women's 50m freestyle S6 final at 1:19 p.m. ET
The second-time Paralympian will try for her first Paralympic medal after taking bronze in this event at last year's world championships, where she also repeated as the 100m backstroke gold medallist.
To qualify for the final, Newkirk must advance through the heats at 11:03 a.m. ET.
Swimming: Aurélie Rivard in the women's 50m freestyle S10 final at 1:47 p.m. ET
Rivard, 28, owns 10 Paralympic medals — one behind 44-year-old wheelchair track star Brent Lakatos for tops among Canadians in Paris. There's a good chance she matches Lakatos right away, as Rivard has won the last two world titles in the 50m freestyle S10. She took gold in this event at the 2016 Paralympics and bronze in 2021 in Tokyo, where she racked up five medals — two gold, a silver and two bronze.
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