“Paris 2024 To Deliver Most Spectacular Paralympics In History”, Says IPC President

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Today marks the #OneYearToGo for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. In just twelve months, a remarkable display of athletic prowess awaits, with athletes with intellectual impairment stepping into the spotlight across three captivating sports: Swimming (S14), Athletics (T20/F20), and Table Tennis (Class 11). This event promises to be a celebration of their exceptional abilities and talents.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons believes Paris 2024 is on the course to deliver the most spectacular Paralympic Games in history. 

The Brazilian Andrew Parsons holds the belief that a combination of ‘world-class sport, iconic venues, the first Games since the pandemic, and a revolutionary approach by the Organising Committee’ will culminate in a Paralympics that outshines all previous editions.

Parsons expressed, “As we reach the one-year-to-go milestone, all the stars are aligning for Paris 2024 to deliver tremendous and memorable Paralympic Games, setting a benchmark for all future editions.”

He further elaborated, stating, “The Organising Committee has promised innovative and revolutionary Paralympics, Games Wide Open to all. To date, they are delivering on all their promises and with 12 months to go, I could not be more excited for the Games and the legacy they will deliver.”

“Having attended many Para sports events this year, the level of sports performance is quite simply incredible. With the environment Paris 2024 is creating for athletes next summer, which includes many stunning sports venues at the heart of the city, I think the sporting action will surpass all of our expectations. 

“These will be the first Paralympics in Europe since London 2012 and the first to be held with spectators since Rio 2016. This combination, together with accessible and affordable tickets, will ensure we have massive crowds packing the venues, bringing the best out of our athletes. I think the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are going to be spectacular.” 

 Aim to sell every Paralympic ticket 

With tickets set to be up for grabs starting October 9th at rates that cater to families and affordability, the IPC President has an ambitious vision: the complete sellout of all 2.8 million tickets. Among these, a noteworthy half are priced at a wallet-friendly EUR 25 or lower, while tickets spanning the diverse spectrum of 22 sporting events span from EUR 15 to EUR 100.

Andrew Parsons shared his anticipation, stating, “I’m envisioning an overwhelming surge in demand for tickets to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games once they hit the market on October 9th.”

He emphasized the unswerving commitment of the Paralympic Games to inclusivity, saying, “The Paralympic Games has consistently adhered to the pledge of making tickets accessible for all, and Paris 2024 continues to embody this very principle. Our collaborative work with the Organising Committee has yielded a range of prices that cater to families and affordability, granting entrance to world-class sports set against the backdrop of awe-inspiring iconic venues.”

Highlighting the distinctive ambience of the Paralympic Games, he further remarked, “The Paralympic Games stands as one of those rare global sporting mega-events that one can enjoy alongside their entire circle of friends and family. This very essence contributes to the exceptional and unique aura that envelops the Games for each and every attendee.”

Radiating confidence in the athletes’ prowess, Parsons affirmed, “In the span of the last decade, we’ve witnessed a remarkable leap in athletic excellence across all 22 sports. The pool of talent’s depth and the fervour of competition have never been more pronounced. From a sporting vantage point, there’s little doubt that Paris 2024 will secure its place as the zenith of Paralympic Games.”

He concluded on a hopeful note, “Much like previous iterations, our aspiration remains the attainment of a sold-out event, with every ticket being snapped up by eager spectators the moment they’re made available on October 9th. With the fusion of world-class sports, stunning venues, and pocket-friendly pricing, our resolve to achieve this aim is resolute.”

Coming closest to a sold-out scenario was the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where a staggering 2.72 million tickets (equivalent to 95% capacity) were successfully sold. Tokyo 2020 would likely have replicated this feat if not for the pandemic; a remarkable 3.1 million ticket requests poured in during the initial sales months, underscoring the immense interest.

For those keen on securing tickets, they can be acquired through the official Paris 2024 Games website.

Source: International Paralympic Committee

Acer Ebru and Chen-Po Yen qualifies for Paris 2024

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The II1 table tennis tournament brought intense excitement as the qualifying matches unfolded at the GG2023 on 6th June. Spectators were treated to nail-biting Paris 2024 qualifying matches in both the male and female II1 categories. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation as each match brought its own set of surprises and intense moments.

In II1 Women’s semi-final matches, while home favourite Lea Ferney had to face defeat at the hands of Turk Surmeyra (TUR) by 3-0, Acer Ebru (TUR) thrashed ITTF World no. three, NG Mui Wui (HKG) by 3-0 and got one step closer to the golden ticket for Paris 2024. On the other hand, Wong Ting Ting made it to the finals by achieving victories over Turk Surmeyra (TUR) and Seo YangHee (KOR) in the quarterfinals and semi-finals, respectively, with scores of 3-0 and 3-1.

In the thrilling finals, Acer and Wong Ting Ting treated the audience to an exhilarating series of matches. Acer displayed an aggressive playing style, launching powerful smashes, while Ting Ting calmly defended against the onslaught. However, Ting Ting eventually succumbed to Acer’s relentless attacks and lost the finals by a score of 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5).

Acer Ebru with her Paris 2024 Ticket. ©Virtus. Photo Credit: T.NGUYEN

Ebru Acer created history by becoming the first athlete with an intellectual impairment from Turkey in Table Tennis to qualify for the Paralympic Games ever. She broke into tears while talking to Virtus.

“I don’t know what to say, I am very happy. I practised really hard for this competition, and I am very happy to qualify for Paralympics,” said Acer Ebru.

Representatives from Virtus member organisations from Turkey were overwhelmed too by Acer’s victory.

“It’s the first time a Turkish athlete in Table Tennis will go to the Paralympics and we are extremely happy about it. Our team has become very strong in the past few years in Table tennis, we have been training for the past six years for this achievement.” Mr. Birol, President of Virtus Turkey told Virtus.

“Virtus competitions have played a key part in Acer’s journey, without Virtus competition Acer wouldn’t have been able to achieve this feat today,” he further added.

Meanwhile, in Men’s category, Makajew Maciej (POL) took everyone by surprise by defeating three-time Paralympian, Peter Palos (HUN), and Sam Von Einem (AUS) by 3-0, 3-2 in knockout matches to secure a place in the finals. Kim Chang-Gi (KOR) too stood well to everyone’s expectations by winning all the matches, beating the ITTF world no. 1 Lucas Creange by 3-2, but later succumbed to Chen Po Yen from Chinese Taipei in the semifinals.

Chen-Po Yen with his Paris 2024 ticket. © Virtus. Photo Credit: T.NGUYEN

Chen-Po faced Makajew Maciej in the finals and had a clean win by 3-0 (11-8,11-8, 15-13) over Makajew. Seventeen-year-old, Chen-Po was delighted to winch ticket to Paris 2024 and was seen celebrating with his contingent. Talking to Virtus, Dr Mu, Ming-Chu, President of the Chinese Taipei Paralympic Committee, who was also the Head of Delegation for Chinese Taipei said,

“I am very proud of this young boy who is just a high school student. Chen had no specialised training program to train himself but he did his best and achieved this extraordinary result. I am very happy and proud that he qualified for the Paralympic Games in Paris next year.”

International Paralympic Committee President, Andrew Parsons was among the distinguished guests who watched the historical finals and was very impressed by their performances.

“It was an honour to present both the athletes with the Gold Medal and the qualification certificate to Paris 2024″, Andrew Parsons commented.

Virtus extends its heartfelt congratulations to both qualifiers for their exceptional performance and looks forward to their Paralympic Games debut in Paris 2024. Their participation in the Paralympic Games will serve as an inspiration to athletes worldwide.