As many know, this year is the year the Olympics and Paralympics were hosted in Paris. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to attend the Olympics as I wasn’t in France during the event. Luckily, by the time I returned to Paris, it was the beginning of the Paralympics. What a great opportunity it had been! I was so happy to know that the Paralympic games began when I was there. The games started between 28 August and 8 September. I had never attended the Olympics or the Paralympics before, so I didn’t know what to expect. Indeed, I followed the games online and wished I had managed to attend at least one game.

Months before the beginning of the Olympics, Paris was busy with maintenance, construction work, and planning. Paris is truly a beautiful city. Maybe I am biased since I have lived in it for a few years now. The city has undergone a lot of transformations. It has been great to witness some changes. (Apart from the increase in public transportation tickets, which haven’t been reduced even after the events ended!)

Expectations vs. Reality

In this article, I hope to share my brief experience in the Paralympics. There were many discussions online and frustration in Paris, as people imagined the city would be overcrowded more than usual. When it gets extremely hot in the summer, the city becomes full of tourists, which can become unbearable. It is not easy to navigate, as I barely tolerate the heat. For instance, there are no air conditioners in residential buildings. Therefore, summer can be difficult to manage in Paris during hot summers!

Adding to this, I was worried about the overflow of tourists. So, I left Paris just a few days before the event began. I followed it online, and to my surprise, many said the city was empty. To avoid overcrowded Paris, those living in it decided to leave during the games (collective decision-making). To my surprise, it was manageable even with tourists around. Many thought certain situations, such as security incidents, would make it difficult, so it was hard to imagine and think positively about the games. However, the management and volunteers did excellent work. My friends who attended the Olympics shared their joy about the organization of the game venues, atmosphere, logistics, and accessibility.

Cheering on Champions

The opening ceremony of the Paralympics, in Place de la Concorde and Champs-Élysées, was beyond incredible. Of course, it was exciting to see athletes from around the world excited to begin the games in different sports. There was a sense of pride that you could sense as athletes passed through the Champs Elysées. In my opinion, the Paralympics reflected the true essence of sports.

I managed to go to one game, but the best part was that it was Para-athletics. It included many sports at the same time. In fact, in Para athletics, athletes compete according to their specific classification in each event. Some compete in wheelchairs and some with prostheses, while a sighted guide supports athletes with vision impairment. 

Initially, I hoped to attend many games, but the timing wasn’t helpful. I expected to go to the games by the Eiffel Tower, but no tickets were available, try to guess why! However, I went to the games hosted at the Stade de France in the evening as it was the most suitable time. The event ended late, but the atmosphere in the stadium was spectacular. It was filled with people cheering and was genuinely engaging.

People were cheering for different countries, and the music was beyond amazing. At some point, I was so into the games that I started getting stressed for the participating athletes. At the same time, it made me think of all the time and years they invested in making it to the Paralympics and the strength and dedication they have to make the qualifications and compete in this event. The athletes’ dream was to win a medal, and you could see the drive in them while competing. The Paralympics in Paris was an experience to remember, and I enjoyed it a lot.