The Paris Paralympics will kick off on Wednesday with a grand opening ceremony set in the heart of the French capital, marking the start of 11 days of intense competition.

For the first time, the ceremony will be held away from the main stadium, taking place at Place de la Concorde, the same historic square that hosted urban sports during the Olympics.

As the Games open, anticipation builds for Thursday when a new generation of Paralympians will compete alongside seasoned veterans across 18 of the 35 Olympic venues, including the Grand Palais and La Defense Arena.

These venues were highly praised during the Olympics, and now they will serve as the stage for thrilling Paralympic events until September 8.

Ticket sales, which initially lagged, have surged with over two million sold, and several venues are now fully booked. The Paralympic flame, symbolizing the event’s deep roots, was lit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England and transported to France through the Channel Tunnel before touring various French cities.

China, a powerhouse in Paralympic competition, is sending a strong squad, aiming to replicate their success from Tokyo. France hopes to finish in the top eight of the medals table, while Ukraine has managed to field a team of 140 athletes despite the ongoing conflict at home.

Russia and Belarus will compete under a neutral banner but are excluded from the ceremonies due to the invasion of Ukraine.

New stars like American amputee sprinter Ezra Frech and veterans like Iranian volleyball legend Morteza Mehrzad are set to make headlines. The Paralympics aim to bring disability issues back to the forefront of global discussions, with International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons emphasizing the need to restore these issues as a global priority.