Paralympics open with stunning ceremony as Paris vows to host 'fun revolution'

Paralympics open with stunning ceremony as Paris vows to host 'fun revolution' More than 4000 athletes marched down the Champs-Elysees Australian team was led by Brenden Hall and Madison de Rozario Spectacular ceremony surpassed that of the Olympic Games By George Clarke For Australian Associated Press Published: 00:12 BST, 29 August 2024 | Updated: 00:12 BST, 29 August 2024 e-mail View comments Paris has delivered a spectacle par excellence in a Paralympics opening ceremony for the ages. On a warm Parisian afternoon, fans flocking to the Place de la Concorde were treated to a jaw-dropping show that perfectly captured all of France's beauty and culture on Wednesday evening (local time). As athletes were hailed for being 'revolutionaries', the setting sun filtered through the gaps in the Eiffel Tower, as each nation made its way down the cobbled streets of the Champs Elysees to take their place at Place de la Concorde.

It was in sharp contrast to the Olympic equivalent last month, where athletes paraded down the Seine on boats on a miserable, sodden afternoon. Wednesday's Paralympics ceremony was the first to have taken place outside the main stadium. 'Thank you for giving us this unique opportunity to revolutionise the way we see the world,' said Tony Estanguet, president of France 2024.

'What makes you (athletes) revolutionaries is that when you were told 'no', you kept going. 'When you were told you were disabled, you responded with performance. The Australian delegation wa.