At the Paralympic Games

In August, TFK Kid Reporter Nate Rhew attended the 2024 Paralympic Games, in Paris, France. Read about his experience below.

The Paralympic Games are the highest level of international sporting competition for athletes with disabilities. They occur every four years, just like the Olympics. The Paralympic Games first took place in 1960.

As I walked through Paris, I saw many people wearing Paralympics shirts to show their support, and carrying souvenirs featuring the Phryges, the red, triangular mascots of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Paralympic Phryge has a prosthetic leg.

NEW FRIEND Nate meets a Paralympics Phryge on Les Champs-Elysées, near the famous Arc de Triomphe monument.

On August 30, I attended the wheelchair basketball game between Spain and Australia. Inside the Bercy Arena, I was surrounded by fans waving flags for their favorite team as music blasted from the loudspeakers. Suddenly, the stadium went quiet, and the game began.

By halftime, Australia led Spain by more than 20 points. Spain began playing more aggressively. They tied the game, then got the lead and won, 68–60. What a comeback!

During the time-outs and halftime break, a dance cam showed fans on the large screen above the court. A life-size Paralympic Phryge danced wildly nearby. There was also karaoke, and everyone in the stadium sang “Les Champs-Elysées,” a popular French song by Joe Dassin. My favorite part was a breaking performance at halftime.

The wheelchairs used in this sport have wheels that tilt inward, to help the players balance and allow them to turn sharply. This feature is important, because the wheelchairs sometimes collide and fall. When a wheelchair falls, a player falls with it.

Wheelchair basketball is challenging. The players have to push their wheelchair while dribbling the ball. This requires strength and skill. And when they shoot the ball, they can’t jump. They have to shoot the ball while sitting, which requires strength and accuracy.

This game was exciting to watch, and being part of a live audience made the experience even better. Attending the Paralympics was an awesome and unforgettable experience.