Paris 2024: The stars to watch in Para athletics on day one morning session

After a quick break following the end of the Olympic Games, the Stade de France reopens its doors on Friday (30 August) to receive the largest sport of the Paralympic Games programme. 

The Paris 2024 Para athletics action will bring 1134 athletes from 151 delegations to the arena to compete in 164 medal events. 

The show starts in a morning session that will crown six new Paralympic champions. 

Here you can find the complete schedule and the main stars to follow on the opening session in Paris.

Defending champions

The first event of the day is set to be one of the most closely contested. The women’s discus F55 has seen three different gold medallists in the last major championships. China’s Dong Feixia is the defending Paralympic champion, while Mexico’s Rosa Maria Guerrero won last year’s World Championships in the French capital, and Colombia’s Erica Castano triumphed at this year’s Worlds in Kobe, Japan.

While the discus F55 is taking place, the men’s 5000m T11 will be the opening event of the purple track, with Brazil’s Yeltsin Jacques aiming to extend his domination in the race. He is the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion and the Kobe 2024 world champion, where he set a new world record (14:53.97).

Tunisia’s Raoua Tlili will be looking to add a new piece of gold to her impressive collection in the women’s shot put F41. The world record holder (10.55m) is a two-time Paralympic champion (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020) and added a fifth consecutive world title to her CV last May in Kobe.

Uzbekistan’s Asila Mirzayorova will be the name to beat in the women’s long jump T11 as the Paris 2023 and Kobe 2024 world champion. Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and world record holder Silvania Costa of Brazil failed to qualify for Paris.

Meet Raoua Tlili 🇹🇳

Competing in the F41 shot put and discus events, Raoua is a multi-gold medalist with a storied career at the Paralympics. Follow her journey as she prepares to further her legacy at Paris 2024! 🥇 #Paralympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/1FoXollqcu

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) August 19, 2024

Colombia’s Jose Gregorio Lemos has won all possible major gold medals since Tokyo 2020 and will be defending his men’s javelin F38 title in Paris. He is the world record holder (61.76m) and cruised to victory in the World Championships in May.

China’s Zhou Xia is the top pick in the women’s 100m T35, closing the morning action. Like Lemos, she followed her Tokyo 2020 gold by winning world titles at Paris 2023 and Kobe 2024.

Complete day one session schedule can be found below (all local timings in CEST, UTC +2)

Day one - Morning session

Friday, 30 August 2024
10:00 Women's Discus Throw - F55 final
10:05 Men's 5000m - T11 Final
10:30 Women's 100m - T35 Round 1
10:35 Women's Shot Put - F41 Final
10:44 Men's 100m - T12 Round 1
10:49 Women's Long Jump - T11 Final
11:13 Men's 400m - T52 Round 1
11:31 Women's 400m - T11 Round 1
12:07 Women's 200m - T37 Round 1
12:20 Men's Javelin Throw - F38 Final
12:26 Men's 100m - T37 Round 1
12:50 Men's 100m - T47 Round 1
13:04 Women's 100m - T35 Final