What to look forward to in the Paralympic Movement in 2023

Last year was a good year for the Paralympic Movement, but 2023 can be an even better year. 

There are many World Championships and international tournaments scheduled throughout the year and exciting announcements to be made. As 28 August marks one year to go until the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, we will also see preparation for the Games moving at full speed.

Here’s a list of things that we look forward to in 2023. Take out a pen and mark your calendar.

Snow sports in the spotlight

The first major event on the sports calendar this year is the FIS Para Snow Sports World Championships that will take place in late January. 

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) will host its first World Championships since becoming the governing body of Para Alpine skiing, Para cross-country skiing and Para snowboard in July 2022.

The World Championships will feature gold medallists from last year’s Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games and promise tonnes of excitement. 

Nordic skiing events will be staged in Ostersund, Sweden, the snowboard events in La Molina, Spain, and Alpine skiing events in Espot, Spain.

World Championships, Paris 2024 qualifiers in full swing

As 2023 marks one year to go until the next Paralympic Summer Games, many qualification events will be staged around the world. A string of World Championships will also be staged throughout the year.

In July, Paris will host the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships, which is set to be the biggest Para sport event to take place in the French capital before the 2024 Paralympic Games.

The 11th edition of the Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester also doubles as a major qualification event for the Paris 2024 Games. Over 600 Para swimmers from around 70 nations are set to compete.

Other major tournaments scheduled this year include the 2023 IBSA Blind Football World Championships in August, Pilsen 2023 World Archery Para Championships in July and the 2022 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, which will take place in June after a one-year delay.

Asian Para Games to open after one-year delay

The Asian Para Games will be held in Hangzhou, China, from 22-28 October after the it was postponed for one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The fourth edition of the Asian Para Games will feature 22 sports, including Para taekwondo and Para canoe that will make their Games debut in Hangzhou.

The previous Asian Para Games were held in Indonesia in 2018, with about 3,000 athletes competing over 18 sports.

Parapan American Games to open in Chile

Another high-profile event to look forward to is the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games from 17-26 November. The 10 days of action promises exciting feats from top athletes from the Americas.

This year's Games are expected to see more than 2,000 athletes taking part in 18 sports. Among medal favourites at the 2024 Paralympic Games, Cuban sprint queen Omara Durand said she is focused on putting on a show at the Parapan American Games. 

Paris 2024 tickets to go on sale

Interested in watching the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games from the stands? The tickets for next year’s Summer Games will go on sale this year. 

Up to 3.4 million tickets will be sold for Paralympic events, including day passes that allow fans to watch several Para sports. 

LA 28 sports programme

Para sports that will be staged at the LA28 Paralympic Games will be decided earlier this year, as preparation speeds up for the first Summer Paralympic Games in the United States since Atlanta 1996.

Last year, the IPC received applications from a record 33 Para sports seeking inclusion in the LA28 Paralympic Games sport programme. 

The 22 Para sports in the Paris 2024 sport programme have submitted applications, along with arm wrestling, climbing, CP football, golf, karate, Para dance sport, powerchair football, sailing, surfing, and wheelchair handball. World ParaVolley, the International Federation responsible for sitting volleyball, also applied for the inclusion of beach ParaVolley.

First Invictus Games in Germany

The Invictus Games will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany, from 9-16 September. Held in Germany for the first time since the first edition in 2014, the event will bring together over 500 competitors from 20 nations.

The previous Invictus Games were staged in the Hague, the Netherlands, last year following a one-year postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.