A multitude of Para athletics medals will be decided on day two, with wheelchair tennis and Para rowing also getting under way
The Roland-Garros wheelchair tennis event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games might face a damp start, with showers expected on the second day of the competition. Despite this, the tournament promises thrilling matchups and emerging talents.
The action kicks off with the preliminary rounds.
The men’s singles field appears highly competitive. Shingo Kunieda, who won gold in Tokyo and is widely regarded as the most accomplished men’s wheelchair tennis player ever, announced his retirement in 2023.
In the women’s singles, Dutch star Diede de Groot aims to secure consecutive Paralympic gold medals.
On Friday, South Africa’s Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole are set to bring excitement to their match against Chile’s Francisco Cayulef and Diego Perez.
Ramphadi had an impressive 2023, capturing his first Grand Slam quad doubles title in Paris and climbing to a top-five world ranking in quad singles. He’s eager to make a significant impact in his Paralympic debut.
In the women’s doubles, Americans Dana Mathewson and Maylee Phelps will face off against Japan’s Momoko Ohtani and Saki Takamuro.
Mathewson, who won both singles and doubles titles at the 2023 Parapan American Games, is competing in her third Paralympic Games in Paris.
Medal bonanza at Para athletics
On Friday, Stade de France will host 14 medal events as Para athletics, the largest sport at the Paralympic Games, begins.
The opening event promises to be thrilling.
The women’s discus F55 has seen a different gold medallist at each of the last three major tournaments.
China’s Dong Feixia, the reigning Paralympic champion, will be competing, but Mexico’s Rosa Maria Guerrero Cazares is in outstanding form following her victory at the 2023 World Championships in Paris.
Colombia’s Erica Maria Castano Salazar triumphed at the 2024 World Championships held in Kobe, Japan.
In the men’s 5000m T11, Brazil’s Yeltsin Jacques is looking to extend his winning streak.
Jacques topped the podium at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and also set a new world record at Kobe 2024.
Tunisia’s Raoua Tlili is aiming for more gold in the women’s shot put F41. The world record holder (10.55m) secured gold medals in Rio, Tokyo, and Kobe.
Uzbekistan’s Asila Mirzayorova is the leading contender in the women’s long jump T11, having been crowned world champion at both Paris 2023 and Kobe 2024.
Row, row, row your boat
Current Paralympic champion Birgit Skarstein from Norway is a top contender in the PR1 women’s single sculls.
In the past decade, she has claimed first place at every World Championship she has participated in.
Israel’s Moran Samuel has beaten the Norwegian twice this season, which might give her a psychological edge in Paris as she aims to improve on her Tokyo silver medal.
In the PR1 men’s single sculls, all attention will be on Paralympic champion Roman Polianskyi from Ukraine, though Great Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard and Italy’s Giacomo Perini are expected to challenge him fiercely.
Complete Para rowing schedule