Flipboard Culture DeskFans have been showing up in droves to support the more-than 4,000 Paralympians competing in Paris. The organizers say that over 2.3 million tickets had been sold up to yesterday. Along the banks of the Seine, the para-triathlon course was lined by spectators and when French competitor Alexis Hanquinquant earned gold, fans attempted to scale the fence to get close to the 38-year-old, who has not lost a race since Tokyo 2020. Participants are now hoping for an even bigger reception in Los Angeles in 2028. "We are athletes. We put the work in. We put in the hours. We sacrifice time with our families. We sacrifice time leaving the country for work. We deserve to be represented just as much because we’re out there representing our country,” says Ryan Medrano, a long jump silver medalist in the T38 category for people with cerebral palsy. Here's more from the AP.
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French fan support at Paralympics gives athletes hope for future of disability sport
Win or lose, the French fans are turning out and supporting the more than 4,000 Paralympians competing in Paris, especially their own team. These Paralympics sold more than 2.3 million tickets as of Monday, the latest count, according to Paris 2024 organizers. That puts it at No. 2 all time in terms of ticket sales for a Paralympic Games. Paris is behind only London’s 2.7 million in 2012, a moment generally regarded as a big victory in the disability sport community as it fights for visibility. Athletes see the fan support as a hopeful sign for the future.