Paris 2024 200 days to go: Athletes reflect on their Paralympic debuts

In 200 days, more than 4,000 athletes from around the world will gather in Paris for the world’s biggest showcase of Para sports. 

The Opening Ceremony on 28 August will serve as a grand kickoff to the 12-day sporting event, which will feature 549 medal events across 22 sports. Athletes will shine in the ‘City of Light’ as they compete at some of the most iconic landmarks in France. 

While Paris 2024 will be a return to the spotlight for many Paralympic champions and multi-medallists, there will be plenty of debutants waiting anxiously as they prepare for the biggest moment of their lives. 

Many Paralympians say their first Games hold a special place in their hearts. As we count down to Paris 2024, let’s hear from some of these athletes about their Paralympic debuts.

 

Markus Rehm, Germany, Para athletics

Rehm, a four-time Paralympic gold medallist, made his Games debut at London 2012. In front of a huge crowd at the Olympic Stadium, he topped the podium in the men’s long jump F42/44 and took bronze in the men’s 4x100m T42-46 race. 

My first Paralympic Games, they were super special. Of course, the first are always very special and my family was there. Some of my friends were there. It was super emotional to see your family being proud of you and all those people who joined you on the whole journey. 

You made the day from the accident to be on the top of the podium at the Paralympic Games. How can it be better? I also remember the competition quite well with Heinrich Popow and Wojtek Czyz (from Germany). It was such a pleasure because I knew these big names. Heinrich also brought me to sports and to compete with them in my first competition and even win. There were no words to really describe it.

To compete at Paris 2024 with hopefully a full stadium, this will be amazing. I hope we have a full stadium that we have a nice atmosphere and that we can present our sport to the world and to the spectators.

 

Raimundo Mendes, blind football, Brazil

Brazil have been unbeaten in blind football since the sport was included in the Paralympic programme for the first time at Athens 2004. Mendes, who is known as Nonato, has been at the centre of the team’s campaign since London 2012. 

London 2012 was a remarkable experience, a dream come true. 

I remember the moment when the national anthem was played before matches and that reminded me of when I watched the national team’s games on TV. I imagined, ‘Today I’m the one here representing Brazil’. Thanks to winning the medal in London, I was able to have my work recognised. The achievement was widely publicised in the media and this publicity helped me get more support and structure for training, and to continue my career.

 

Diede de Groot, Netherlands, wheelchair tennis

De Groot has not lost a match in the women’s singles for three years. She bagged two golds at Tokyo 2020 and most recently, won her 21st Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in January 2024. 

Rio 2016 was my first Games. I was 19 years old and very inexperienced. I hadn’t played any of the Grand Slams yet, so playing in front of many people was very intimidating. But I remember having so much fun, and I reached the semi-finals in the singles. I have a silver medal in the doubles from the Rio Games, so I already had good results for my first Games.

For future Paralympians, I would like to say, ‘Just enjoy it’. I think that’s the main thing. When you enjoy it, you want to get up in the morning and work really hard. Gather a good group around you, with whom you can have fun with, but also work hard with. You will grow and be on top of the game in no time.

 

Kenya Karasawa, Japan, Para athletics

Karasawa took up sports after he learned about Para athletics at the Rio 2016 Paralympics. Five years later, he picked up the silver medal in the men’s 5,000m T11 at Tokyo 2020.

I was so nervous at my first Paralympic Games. But since Tokyo 2020 was held at home, many people paid attention to it and became interested in Para sports. It was such a fun experience because many people cheered for us and supported us. At Paris, I want more people to become interested in Para sports. I became inspired to take up sports by learning about it at the Rio 2016 Games, so I want more people to start running by watching the Paralympics in Paris.

 

Bebe Vio, Italy, wheelchair fencing

When Vio looks back at the two Paralympics she has been a part of, she describes them as special in different ways. She shot to stardom at Rio 2016, where she won gold in the women’s individual foil category B and a silver in the women’s foil team event, before she captured two more medals at Tokyo 2020. 

At Rio, everything was like a big wow because I was living my dream. I was there, I had the chance to be a part of my dream. I was 19 years old, so I was younger. 

My favourite Paralympic memory was winning our first big medal. It was the team competition at Rio de Janeiro, where we won the bronze medal. The day before, I won the gold in the individual, but what you live in the competition is a completely different thing. You’re there with your team – they are the people you live with, you train with, you love them, they are part of your family. 

We were fighting for the medal and we deeply believed in the fact that we wanted to win. But at that time, our team never expected to win. And our team was like, ‘OK, this is not going to happen, but if it happened, it’s going to be a mess’. So, when we won, we just started crying and kissing each other and hugging each other and then sang Italian songs. That was so huge. 

 

Sumit Antil, India, Para athletics

Antil extended the world record three times in the men’s javelin F64 final at Tokyo 2020 en route to winning his maiden gold medal. While he aims to top the podium at Paris 2024, he says his first Games will always hold a special place in his heart.

I literally feel that it was the best moment of my life. I wasn’t focused on other Para athletes. I just wanted to give my best. After the competition, during the time between the medal ceremony and the competition, they told me that I was trending on social media. It felt very special, because you’re on top of the world, your videos are getting viral and your country’s Prime Minister is calling you.

I think every athlete has a dream and I’m living that dream in that moment. I will try to win the gold medal in Paris 2024 Paralympics and maybe the 2028 Paralympics, but that first gold medal is very special. I think that will be the most memorable moment of my life forever.

 

Bo Kramer, Netherlands, wheelchair basketball

The Dutch women’s wheelchair basketball team have already booked a ticket to Paris 2024, where they aim to defend their title. Kramer, who helped the team to the podium at Tokyo 2020, reflects on participating at Rio 2016 when she was 17 years old.

I didn’t quite know what to expect because it was so big and massive. I let everything come to me, and I enjoyed everything. I think playing at the Paralympics at such a young age gave me a lot of experience. I was very nervous in Rio, so I didn’t quite enjoy it as much as I did, for example in Tokyo, because I didn’t know what to expect. But I already got some experience playing at the Paralympics, so it gave me a really good start to my career.

I’m looking forward to Paris. I think there’s again, a lot of pressure because we’re reigning champions. But I do really like the fact that it’s so close to home. Our squad is ready to retain the title to stay on top. We are hungry to show what we are capable of.

 

Jessica Long, USA, Para swimming

Long has captured 29 medals since she made her Paralympic debut at Athens 2004. The five-time Paralympian was the youngest athlete on the U.S. Para swimming team in Athens.

I was 12 years old at my very first Paralympics in Athens. And it’s so crazy when I look back, because as a 12 year old, I didn’t think I was 12. I thought I was like 18, I thought I was on top of the world. I just believed that I was going to win a gold and I knew I was going to do really well.

But to come away with three gold medals as a 12 year old was truly incredible. I think now being 31 and looking back or even being on the pool deck and seeing young swimmers, I’m just like, ‘wow, I was 12 years old doing that’ and I’m still doing it. I think it was actually really incredible.