Paris 2024: Para athletics stars share excitement as Games set to kick off

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will see the best of Para athletics with 1134 athletes from 151 National Paralympic Committee competing in 164 medal events at the Stade De France.

On Tuesday (27 August), four Para athletics stars gathered for a press conference to share their expectations and excitement ahead of the Games. 

The star-studded list of attendees include Germany’s long jump legend Markus Rehm, USA sprinter Hunter Woodhall, Moroccan thrower Youssra Karim and Brazilian sprinter Jerusa Geber with her guide Gabriel Garcia.

Four-time Paralympic champion Rehm exuded confidence of defending his titles in Paris but was well aware of the challenges. 

"Definitely the gold medal. I (have) won four of them, three in the long jump, one in the relay, so I hope I can defend my title. That’s quite a big job to achieve a world record here. I want to jump as far as possible."

"The competition is getting better and better, so it's going to be way more difficult than before. There are two guys from the USA trying to hunt me down and get this gold, so it's going to be exciting," said the 36-year-old T64 long jumper who has nine World Championships titles.

Describing his Paralympic journey as amazing, Rehm said it would be 'incredible' to win his fourth Paralympic gold medal something he has been working really hard.

Incredible Venue

Meanwhile, Woodhall said he will start his campaign without much expectations and try to enjoy every moment racing at Stade de France. 

"One thing we really focus on this year is not having any expectations. This whole year has been incredible. Training has gone really well.

"I've taken a lot of risks and re-learned so many things, running the best I've ever run, so I’m going to go out, have a good time, enjoy the moment, be in the presence of an incredible crowd at Paris 2024."

The three-time Paralympic medallist T62 sprinter also praised the Stade de France after he witnessed his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA), won the long jump gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

"It is one of the most incredible venues in the world, one of the most enthusiastic crowds I've ever seen in my life, and one of the best tracks that's ever been put down. I am sure, there'll be fast times," he highlighted.

Elusive gold

Geber, a veteran with multiple-time Paralympic medallist and five world titles, arrives in Paris with her best timing in T11 sprint and will aim for that elusive gold.

"My expectations are always the greatest. This is my fifth Paralympic Games and the third consecutive time arriving (at a Games) with the best time in the world. I was in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and now Paris. 

"I have still not had my gold medal. I got two silver (at London 2012) and two bronze (at Tokyo 2020) in the Paralympic Games. The medal I want so much I haven’t yet achieved it," said the 42-year-old Brazilian.

Geber has been running with her guide Dos Santos Garcia, an Olympian, since 2016 and said that they train hard every day to avoid mistakes. "For a false start, for example, we always try to train starts as a pair, and during the race we try not to speak so much, just what's strictly necessary until the finish line."

Likewise, Karim will be aiming for her first Paralympic gold, in women's shot put F41, after winning the world championships title in Kobe. 

"It’s my third Paralympic Games. I got a silver medal in Tokyo (and) I got one gold medal at the world championships in Kobe. Now I want to win a gold medal at these Paralympic Games in 2024, and why not a world record. I hope I can do it."

The 27-year-old also hoped to see the Moroccan community in Paris cheering for her and encouraging her to win the gold medal. 

The Para athletics programme kicks off on Friday (30 August) and you can follow all the action on the World Para Athletics channels on Instagram, Facebook and X.