WASHINGTON — Weeks after the Olympic Games ended with the Closing Ceremony, a new Opening Ceremony is set to take place.
The Paralympic Games are set to begin in Paris on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and the competition will run for 11 days after.
When are the Paralympics?
The Opening Ceremony for the Paralympics will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern in Paris. While the opening ceremony won't be as elaborate as the Olympics before them, it will feature thousands of athletes who are competing at the top of their sports — an even more impressive feat considering many use wheelchairs, prosthetics or other mobility devices, or have other disabilities.
Competition will take place in various venues around Paris and other French cities from Thursday, Aug. 29 - Monday, Sept. 8.
How can I watch the Paralympics?
Like the Olympics, the Paralympics are being broadcast by NBC. A full schedule can be found on the NBC website here.
All events will be streamed live on NBC's streaming platform, Peacock.
When did the Paralympics start?
The first Paralympic Games took place in Rome, Italy, in 1960. They were originally the 9th annual International Stroke Mandeville Games, which were retroactively determined to be the first Paralympics.
Since then, the Paralympics have been held every year the Summer Olympic Games have been held, usually a few weeks after the Olympics end.
What sports are in the Paralympics?
The Paralympics will feature over 4,000 athletes competing in 549 events across 22 sports. Some of the more popular include wheelchair fencing and track & field events.
