Over the next fortnight, the Paralympics promises 12 days of sporting drama from the pool, to the track, to the tennis court.
Every single moment of the Games will be broadcast live for the first time. Here are the highlights from each day of Paralympic action, from Wednesday’s Opening Ceremony to the finale on Sunday 8 September.
Day 0: Wednesday 28 August
Wednesday’s opening ceremony will give viewers their first sight of the Paralympics GB team, who will be led by flagbearers Terry Bywater and Lucy Shuker.
Unlike last month’s Olympic opening ceremony, organisers have not organised a flotilla down the River Seine for the Paralympics, but they have once again flouted tradition by electing to stage it down the Champs-Elysees and at Place de la Concorde, carrying their desire to embed Olympic festivities into the city of Paris through to the Paralympics.
Day 1: Thursday 29 August
Thursday is the first day that medals are up for grabs, with 66 of them to be won.
The velodrome will be where most British hopes are decided, with Kadeena Cox, a medallist in both athletics and cycling, in action in the time trial alongside legendary tandem sprinter Neil Fachie in the pursuit.
Day 2: Friday 30 August
All eyes will be on the pool with Maisie Summers-Newton defending her title in the 200m individual medley.
At the velodrome, Jaco van Gass and Fin Graham won gold and silver, and both broke the world record in Tokyo. They will hope for more of the same on the fast Parisian track.
Meanwhile, hot off her victory in last year’s Track World Championships, Daphne Schrager will be going for gold in the C1-3 individual pursuit.
Day 3: Saturday 31 August
Phoebe Paterson Pine will be one of the favourites in the compound archery, which takes place in the striking setting of Les Invalides.
Hopes are high in taekwondo, too, with Matt Bush finally getting a chance to win a gold medal after missing out on Tokyo due to a last-minute injury.
Day 4: Sunday 1 September
Sunday is Finals day in the rowing. And with Paralympics GB ranked the best para team in the world, plenty of medals are in the offing.
The mixed coxed four side is protecting an unbeaten record that stretches back to London 2012, while army veteran Gregg Stevenson joins double Paralympic champion Lauren Rowles to compete in the PR2 mixed double sculls having won gold at last year’s World Championships.
Former Strictly contestant Lauren Steadman competes in the triathlon, alongside Claire Cashmore, while Hannah Cockroft will go for a historic eighth Paralympic gold when she competes in the wheelchair 100m.
Day 5: Monday 2 September
Paralympics GB’s wheelchair rugby side will be hoping to pull off a repeat of their stunning success in Tokyo. Monday is when medal games for the sport – also known as murderball because of heavy contact – will take place.
On the track, Jonnie Peacock takes centre stage in the evening, and will be hellbent on regaining his 100m crown having won a bronze medal in Tokyo after his golds in London and Rio.
Day 6: Tuesday 3 September
Equestrian events begin in the stunning surroundings of Château de Versailles, the former seat of the French monarchy, with Sophie Wells and Natasha Baker returning to the Paralympic stage.
It is another night of finals on the track, where London Paralympic hero David Weir, aged 35, is entered in the 1500m wheelchair race.
Day 7: Wednesday 4 September
Cyclist Dame Sarah Storey, Britain’s greatest Paralympian, will break another record when she competes at her ninth Games starting with the time trial on the road, before also going in the road race on Friday.
Paralympics GB won their first wheelchair fencing gold medal in 32 years in Tokyo and there are medal shots for Oliver Lam-Watson and Dimitri Coutya in the foil.
Day 8: Thursday 5 September
Boccia, similar to boules, is the only Paralympic sport without an Olympic equivalent. GB have a great medal chance in the mixed event, which will feature ‘the Ronnie O’Sullivan of boccia’, four-time Paralympic medallist David Smith.
Day 9: Friday 6 September
Table tennis showman Will Bayley, who famously climbed on the table in celebrating gold at Rio 2016, will aim for the top spot in this year’s Games, having only won bronze in Tokyo.
Paralympics GB’s Jonathan Broom-Edwards defends his high jump title and there is a second. And there will be a final shot at gold for Storey in the road race, possibly her last-ever Paralympic event.
Day 10: Saturday 7 September
Saturday has the potential to be another a super Saturday for Paralympics GB.
Wheelchair tennis star Alfie Hewett, who owns every accolade in the sport other than a Paralympic gold medal, will hope to be going in the men’s singles final at Roland-Garros.
Chris Skelley goes for judo gold, Charlotte Henshaw paddles for glory in canoeing and GB will hope to be involved in the men’s wheelchair basketball medal matches.
Day 11: Sunday 8 September
The final day of the Games sees the marathon wind around the streets of Paris, the discipline in which David Weir now specialises.
There are further medal chances for GB in canoeing and powerlifting before the curtain comes down at the closing ceremony at Stade de France.
