67 Mexicans begin their quest for sporting glory in France

The 2024 Paralympic Games begin today in Paris. With a ceremony that organizers describe as exceptionalthe competition will be inaugurated and will bring together more than 4 thousand athletes, including 67 Mexicans.

Seventeen days after the close of the conventional games, the French capital is once again dressed up, but this time with a celebration of inclusion and tenacity.

The Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, the Tuileries Palace, the Arc de Triomphe and even in neighbourhoods far from the city centre are all filled with Olympic spirit, with banners alluding to the event for people with physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities.

The tricolor delegation is raising its hand to be the protagonist. Our country will seek a historic performance in Paris, where it hopes to maintain the upward pace it has shown since the Rio 2016 Games.

We are aiming for a memorable performance. Many of us already have several experiences in the games, and the younger ones have energy and drive, which will help them fight for the podium.commented the experienced Ángeles Ortiz.

Mexico, which has been attending the Paralympic Games since Heidelberg 1972, has surpassed its medal haul in the past two cycles. In 2016, it won 15 medals and in Tokyo, the number increased to 22.

I trust in the preparation that our athletes have had. This cycle, although it was shorter due to the pandemic, we had the opportunity to travel to several places so that our selected players could arrive in their best sporting form.commented the head of the Mexican Paralympic Committee (Copame), Liliana Suárez.

In Paris, our country will be taking part in a summer competition for the 14th time. It has already been on the podium 311 times (104 for gold, 92 for silver and 115 for bronze); its best participation was in Arnhem 1980, when it won 42 medals. Only on two occasions has our country returned without a gold medal.

The opening show will take place along the Champs-Élysées avenue. It will be the first time that the Paralympic festival has started outside a stadium.

The Mexican flag bearers will be swimmer Fabiola Ramírez and parathlete Salvador Hernández, two of the most experienced athletes in the national team.

The former suffers from multiple congenital arthrogryposis and will compete in the 50 and 100 meter backstroke events. Salvador, meanwhile, contracted the childhood polio virus and will participate in the 200 and 400 meter T52 category. Hernández attended the games for the first time in Atlanta in 1996.

Mayor bathes in the Seine

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the Seine again on the eve of the Paralympic Games opening ceremony and just days before the first paratriathlon events scheduled for Sunday.

In a video shared on her Instagram account, the mayor is seen taking a bath, smiling, under the sunny sky in the French capital and accompanied by dozens of people in the water.

Starting next year, swimming in the Seine will become a must-do in the Parisian summerHidalgo wrote in a message accompanying his video, reiterating his promise to make the river suitable for public bathing starting in 2025.

The president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Andrew Parsons, expressed his excitement about the start of the Paris Games, an event that is expected to begin a revolution of inclusion.

(With information from AFP)

Paris hosts 11 exciting days of the Paralympics, showcasing exceptional feats of endurance and strength by athletes with a variety of disabilities. Infographic Graphic News