Paralympic Highlights: Gold Won in Silence, Making Dreams Come True, and Lessons for LA

The Paralympic Games in Paris brought us impressive, important and surprising stories.

The AthleticsCharlotte Harpur was there and now tells you about her most memorable moments and insights from the Games. In the meantime, she is also looking forward to the Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

Best moment: France vs Argentina, blind football final

The cries of “Allez Les Bleus” could be heard outside the stadium at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. There was not an empty seat. And yet every temptation to cheer, every “Oooh” And “Aah“as the players shot or collided with each other, they were interrupted by whispers of”Sssssh…“.

The crowd must remain silent, because the blind players rely on hearing the rattle of the football and the communication of the team’s guide behind the goal. The contrast between anger when France scored and the silence was immense.

You could hear a pin drop with each penalty, but when Argentina missed, the home crowd erupted, the stands shook. It was a moment that summed up what it meant to the French to host the Games. Singing La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, to celebrate a gold medal with the Eiffel Tower shining at night; it doesn’t get much better than that.

Notable achievement: Ezra Frech double gold in the T63 100m and T63 high jump

Ezra Frech wasn’t expected to win the 100m T63. The focus was on the high jump — he even posted a countdown for that event on social media, reading: “Day X of 100 until I win Paralympic gold.”

(Moto Yoshimura/Getty Images)

But ahead of schedule, on Day 99, he won the 100m gold by 0.02 seconds in a photo finish. Less than 24 hours later, he won the high jump, breaking a Paralympic record. He made his dream come true.

GALLING DEEPER

Paralympic gold on day 100 for Ezra Frech: ‘My son is there’

The performance was memorable because after the race his parents shared his incredible story from 0 to 19 years old with me. I witnessed the emotions as they embraced Frech outside a deserted Stade de France in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Biggest surprise: Jurgen Klopp watches Wojtek Czyz during para-badminton

I like a plan, but sometimes you have to take a different course. If you had said a former Premier League-winning manager would be at the Paralympics I wouldn’t have believed you. But there he was, in the stands, eating Haribo sweets, cheering on Czyz, his friend of more than 20 years, playing Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell.

(Fiona Goodall/Getty Images for PNZ)

Less surprisingly, Klopp hadn’t changed a bit. He shouted “Well done” to Bethell, who beat Czyz, as he left the field in a show of class, his broad smile and booming voice lighting up the first day of Paralympic action.

GALLING DEEPER

Why Jurgen Klopp was at the Paralympics: ‘This story needs to be told. My friend is super special’

That wasn’t the only surprise in para-badminton. Svetlana Shabalina, a teacher from Dnipro, Ukraine, surprised her former student and orphan Oksana Kozyna, who had no idea she was watching.

Most Memorable Quotes

Gosh, there are too many. All of the below was reported here by The Athletics…

Britain’s Jodie Grinham became the first pregnant athlete to win a medal at the Paralympics after winning bronze in the women’s individual compound archery event: “The baby hasn’t stopped kicking, it’s almost like the baby is shouting ‘What’s going on, it’s really loud, mummy what are you doing?’. But it’s a lovely reminder of the support bubble I have in my belly.”

GALLING DEEPER

Pregnant archer wins bronze at Paralympic Games

Valentina Petrillo after failing to qualify for the 400m T12 final: “I hope my son is proud of me,” Petrillo said, as he began to cry. “That’s important to me because I’m a trans father; he’s not everyone’s dream father. I hope he’ll always be with me, I hope he loves me even if I’m like this. I can’t help being like this, I’m sorry. Don’t treat trans people badly. We suffer. It’s not fair. We don’t hurt anyone.”

Oksana Masters after winning the women’s H5 road race, her second gold in two days: “I feel like I’m on cloud nine. I feel dizzy. I have to pee! I’m so excited, all the emotions right now.”

It was her 19th Paralympic medal and when asked where she keeps them all, she said: “I like socks, so I keep them (medals) in socks. Of course the girl with no legs likes socks! I keep them safe because I’m a klutz and I broke my first medal.”

I had read about her horrific yet inspiring story, but when I spoke to her in person, I was blown away by her charisma and infectious personality.

Biggest disappointment

You can only be in one place at a time, so I was disappointed not to see goalball or wheelchair rugby (aka murder ball). (But those are on my list for next time.)

It was a shame I couldn’t try the famous chocolate muffin from the Olympic and Paralympic village, but I had a flight to catch.

Best Social Post: Chuck Aoki

Chuck Aoki, the captain of the US wheelchair rugby team, reposted this photo with the caption: “I used to be so embarrassed about my hands.”

Well, those hands are now holding a silver medal.

Best Photo: Sheetal Devi

The striking photo of the armless archer Sheetal Devi shooting with para-arche technique.

(Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Favorite party: Tokito Oda

Tokito Oda, 18, dismantles his wheelchair and finally lays his back on the red clay of Roland Garros.

One for the history books… 🥇🇯🇵 @odatokito | #Paris2024 #Paralympic Games | #WheelchairTennis photo.twitter.com/33FDVdBsl8

—ITFTennis (@ITFTennis) September 7, 2024

I also had to laugh at the video of Italy’s Bebe Vio running through security to celebrate her individual bronze medal.

“And for the LA28 races, hurdles,” she wrote.

What I learned: The role of society in making life accessible for people with disabilities

There are two major barriers that, if removed, will transform the lives of people with disabilities: the way society sees them and accessibility.

All disabled people want to be accepted and live their daily lives. They have no control over these two factors, but society does.

Lessons for LA 2028: Beware of the United States

The US has has been called the sleeping giant for its lack of investment in Paralympic sports, but with Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, that giant is about to wake up.

The medal table of the Paralympic Games

(Top photos: Getty Images)