Kacper Pempel / Reuters
The final Paralympic torchbearers gaze at the “Flying Cauldron” after lighting it in Paris on August 28, 2024. More than 4,400 athletes from more than 180 delegations have gathered in Paris once again, this time to take part in the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games. Competitors will vie for medals in more than 500 events across 22 different sports. Today’s opening ceremony was the first to ever be held outside; taking place along the Champs-Élysées, it featured the Parade of Nations, multiple artistic performances, and the lighting of the cauldron.