Paris 2024 Paralympics | Tony Estanguet on the eve of the opening ceremony: “We're going to experience a historic moment”
With just over 24 hours to go before the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games kick off, Tony Estanguet spoke at a joint press conference given by Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
This Tuesday, August 27, marks the eve of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. For several days now, the competition venues have been ready and welcoming the Para athletes to training. As the Paralympic Agitos invaded the French capital, Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, spoke late this morning at the competition's Main Media Center, located at Pulse.
Accompanied on the podium by Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Paris 2024 conductor appeared confident just hours before the start of hostilities. We're obviously very excited,” he began. This is going to be a historic moment for France and all the fans. We can't wait to get back to these moments of sport, these emotions of sport and the athletes.”
Two weeks after the conclusion of the first leg, the Olympic Games, it's time for the second leg. “We're ready to go! We've got a lot of ambition and determination. We're not going to give up until the end, and we can't wait to get the ball rolling again tomorrow so that these Games are as exceptional as those of the Olympic fortnight”, Tony Estanguet insisted.
Highly anticipated Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
Paris 2024 wants to make its mark right from the opening ceremony, scheduled for the evening of Wednesday August 28 on the Place de la Concorde. "It has to start with a very beautiful opening ceremony, during which we have to understand the level of ambition of these Paralympic Games, confirmed the man from Pau. This ceremony is intended to be very ambitious, to showcase the Paralympic athletes in the most beautiful way possible."
"The opening ceremony is going to be extraordinary, enthused Andrew Parsons. It's like the city embracing the Paralympics. It's going to be a traditional ceremony in a non-traditional venue. I've been told there's going to be a surprise, but I want it to remain a surprise for everyone!”
Tony Estanguet also took advantage of the press briefing to talk about Paris 2024's ambitions for the Paralympic Games, the first summer games to be held in France. “Right from the start, I remember discussions we had with previous organizers, who all told us one thing: if we'd known, we'd have done more. So we put ourselves in this frame of mind to succeed in going as far as we could so that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games would leave their mark on people's minds,” he began by explaining.
Thus, the organization decided to give the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games the same emblem, visual identity, slogan and mascots (although the Paralympic Phrygia has a visible disability). “The other example is the Spectaculars, i.e. the desire to have the presence of the Agitos in the city of Paris during the Olympic period, and vice versa, in order to show that our country has the same ambition for both events,” explained Tony Estanguet.
The aim was then to capitalize on the power of the Olympic Games - “which have an engine with more horsepower”, imagined the boss of Paris 2024 - and their strengths to highlight the Paralympic Games. That's why Paralympic athletes carried the Olympic Flame or were featured at the opening and closing ceremonies.
All of this means that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games - which will be held at iconic Parisian venues such as the Eiffel Tower Stadium, the Grand Palais or Les Invalides - are highly anticipated, with over 165 television stations having bought the broadcasting rights and almost 2 million tickets already sold. “I often say that these will be the most spectacular Paralympic Games ever, and I believe it in my heart,” Andrew Parsons concluded with a broad smile.