Paris 2024 Paralympics: Record-Breaking Refugee Team Wraps Up Final Preparations in Reims

As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games approach, eight remarkable Para athletes are set to represent the Paralympic Refugee Team, showcasing resilience and determination on the global stage.

Among these athletes, two participated in the Rio 2016 Games, while six competed at Tokyo 2020. This year, the team has grown to include eight Para athletes who will compete in six disciplines. Accompanied by two guides, the athletes are Zakia Khudadadi (Para taekwondo), Guillaume Junior Atangana (Para athletics), Ibrahim Al Hussein (Para triathlon), Salman Abbariki (Para athletics), Hadi Darvish (Para powerlifting), Sayed Amir Hossein Hosseini Pour (Para table tennis), Amelio Castro Grueso (Wheelchair fencing), and Hadi Hassanzada (Para taekwondo). This marks the third time a Paralympic Refugee Team has participated in the Summer Games.

Led by Chef de Mission Nyasha Mharakurwa, who previously represented Zimbabwe in wheelchair tennis at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the team has shown remarkable unity and strength. Mharakurwa praised the team’s cohesion, highlighting the athletes’ shared experiences and the sense of camaraderie that has developed among them.

In preparation for the Games, the athletes gathered at the Centre for Resources, Expertise, and Sport Performance (CREPS) in Reims from August 12 to 21. Supported by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the French Ministry of Sport, and Paris 2024, this marks the first time the Paralympic Refugee Team has come together for intensive training before the Games.

Reflecting on their journey, Ibrahim Al Hussein expressed the deep bond formed among the athletes, describing the team as more than just a group of competitors, but as a family united by their shared struggles and aspirations. “We are all proud to be members of the Refugee Paralympic Team, representing not just ourselves but the 120 million displaced people around the world and the more than one billion people with disabilities,” he said.

During their final days in Reims, the athletes shared a special moment with local schoolchildren, who presented them with personal messages of support and drawings inspired by their stories. The day was filled with joy as the athletes donned their official competition outfits for the first time and took photos with the children.

As the Paralympic Refugee Team prepares to march first at the Opening Ceremony on August 28, they are determined to make history. Inspired by the recent achievement of boxer Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba, who became the first athlete from the refugee team to win a medal at the Olympic Games, the team is motivated to follow in her footsteps. Zakia Khudadadi, who has been living in Paris since 2021, expressed her dream of winning a medal for the team, a goal that would mark a significant milestone in the history of the Paralympic Games.

With their eyes set on success, the Paralympic Refugee Team is ready to leave a lasting impression at Paris 2024.