The final Paralympic torchbearers gaze at the “Flying Cauldron” after lighting it in Paris on August 28, 2024. More than 4,400 athletes from over 180 delegations have gathered in Paris once again, this time to compete in the 2024 Summer Paralympics. Competitors will compete for medals in more than 500 events across 22 different sports. Today’s opening ceremony was the first ever to be held outdoors; it took place along the Champs-Élysées and included the Parade of Nations, multiple artistic performances and the lighting of the cauldron.