From top left: Michael Johnson, Nicole Murray, Anna Grimaldi and Will Stedman are among Kiwi hopefuls in Paris. Photo: Photosport
New Zealand is missing its most successful Paralympian but it still has a lot of medal prospects as the 17th summer Games begins in Paris from Thursday.
It is now the world's third biggest sporting event, in terms of ticket sales - only the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cups sell more.
It brings together 4400 athletes and among them are 25 athletes who will represent this country in eight sports.
So here is some information on how best to follow the Paralympics and the event's history and schedule.
How can I watch?
- The Paralympics will run from 29 August to 9 September
- Watch on free to air TVNZ1 from 7.30pm (hosted by Scottie Stevenson and Dame Sophie Pascoe), also available on TVNZ+
- The opening ceremony screens live from 6am on Thursday while the closing will be from 6am on 9 September
- Swimmer Cameron Leslie and athlete Anna Grimaldi will be the New Zealand flagbearers for the opening ceremony.
Experienced swimmer Cameron Leslie will be one of the flagbearers for the Kiwis. Photo: Photosport
Notable Paralympics facts
- The first Paralympic Games took place in Rome in 1960
- Since 1988 the Olympics and Paralympic Games have been held in the same city and at the same venues
- 4400 athletes from 160 countries competing in Paris
- Like the Olympics, the Paralympics opening ceremony will be held outside a stadium for the first time - athletes will parade through Paris including the Champs-Élysees and the Place de la Concorde
- Many of the venues used for the Olympics will also be used for the Paralympics, including the Stade de France, La Defense Arena and Roland Garros
- Each Paralympic sport has its own system of classification, which helps to ensure fair and equal competition. Athletes are classified depending on the amount of impact their impairment has on their sporting performance
- The athletes village is 100 percent accessible
- New Zealand's most successful summer Paralympic sport is athletics with 37 gold medals, while swimming has 30 gold medals
Who will shine for NZ?
Since first competing at a summer Paralympic Games in Tel Aviv in 1968 New Zealand has won 201 medals, including 80 gold.
The country's most successful Paralympian Dame Sophie Pascoe is missing - she isn't competing, having announced her retirement from competitive swimming following the birth of her first child earlier this year.
However, New Zealand athletes should excel in the likes of swimming, athletics and cycling.
Long jump champion Anna Grimaldi, sprinter Danielle Aitchison, 400m runner and long jumper Will Stedman and Holly Robinson in the javelin and shot put are all contenders for the podium.
Tupou Neiufi and Cameron Leslie in the pool and Nicole Murray, Anna Taylor and Devon Briggs in cycling also shape as medal prospects.
There are 11 Paralympic debutants in the team, while shooter Michael Johnson will be competing in his sixth Paralympics.
Fellow shooter Greg Reid is the oldest member of the team at age 62.
New Zealand swimmer Tupou Neiufi at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
When are the Kiwis' events?
- Thursday 29 August: Badminton, Wojtek Czyz; Cycling, Nicole Murray.
- Friday 30: Badminton, Wojtek Czyz; Cycling, Ben Westenberg, Anna Taylor, Devon Briggs; Swimming, Cameron Leslie, Gabriella Smith, Joshua Willmer; Shooting, Michael Johnson.
- Saturday 31: Cycling, Ben Westenberg, Devon Briggs; Shooting, Neelam O'Neill; Swimming, Tupou Neiufi; Badminton, Wojtek Czyz.
- Sunday 1 September: Badminton, Wojtek Czyz; Shooting, Neelam O'Neill, Greg Reid, Michael Johnson; Cycling, Nicole Murray; Athletics, Danielle Aitchison.
- Monday 2: Badminton, Wojtek Czyz; Table tennis, Matthew Britz; Athletics, William Stedman.
- Tuesday 3: Swimming, Jesse Reynolds, Cameron Leslie, Lili-Fox Mason; Athletics, Anna Steven , William Stedman, Anna Grimaldi; Table tennis, Matthew Britz.
- Wednesday 4: Equestrian, Louise Duncan; Cycling, Rory Mead, Devon Briggs, Anna Taylor, Nicole Murray; Athletics, Holly Robinson, Danielle Aitchison; Shooting, Michael Johnson.
- Thursday 5: Shooting, Greg Reid; Cycling, Rory Mead; Swimming, Lili-Fox Mason, Gabriella Smith, Tupou Neiufi.
- Friday 6: Cycling, Nicole Murray; Table tennis, Matthew Britz; Athletics, Anna Grimaldi, Holly Robinson, William Stedman; Canoe, Scott Martlew, Peter Cowan; Swimming, Cameron Leslie.
- Saturday 7: Cycling, Devon Briggs; Swimming, Gabriella Smith, Cameron Leslie; Equestrian, Louise Duncan; Canoe, Scott Martlew; Athletics, William Stedman, Mitch Joynt, Anna Grimaldi.
- Sunday 8: Canoe, Scott Martlew, Peter Cowan.
Find the the schedule for every event here.
