unprecedented sports festival in Paris

D-100 ahead of the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris 2023! From July 8 to 17, the Charléty stadium will host 171 events contested by 1,800 athletes. Goals ? It is part of the top 5 nations and attracts 100,000 viewers.

” The countdown begins ! » More than 100 days before the World Para Athletics Championships. 100 hundred days before vibrating to the rhythm of sprints, long jumps, shot puts from champions willing to do anything to prove that handicap rhymes with performance. The last lap, the final sprint “prepare, adjust, improve the organization and touch hearts”, encourages Guislaine Westlynck, president of the French Handisport Federation (FFH), during a press conference organized on March 30, 2023. From July 8 to 17, 2023, 1,800 athletes from 120 countries will come to face each other at the Charléty stadium, in Paris, before an audience that the organizing committee expects to be large. The goal? Beat the record of 100,000 tickets sold at the World Cup in London (United Kingdom) in 2017 to become “unprecedented sports festival”. So far, only 10,000 out of 300,000 have been sold.

Logistical, ecological and acculturation challenge

“It is a stadium that we know from having organized open sports for the disabled there, explains Adrien Balduzzi, director of operations for Paris 2023. We have adapted the gauge to 15,000 seats. Bringing so many people, I think it’s unheard of. » TO ” exciting “ logistical and human challenge! If Mr. Balduzzi is delighted, others, in particular associations in the field of disability, are concerned about the accessibility of accommodation and especially transportation during the competition, both for competitors and for spectators. With just over three months to go before the deadline, four major themes stand out: organizational, promotional, ecological and acculturation. In addition to offering a “outstanding sporting spectacle”the ambition is to raise awareness and “provide important education on the benefits of sport for people with disabilities, the specifics of its practice, the categories…”, explains Guy Tisserant, a member of the FFH board of directors. The dimension ” legacy “ it is also essential. “At the end of the competition, we will deliver the sports equipment purchased for the occasion to various clubs in order to enhance its usefulness over time”, he continues. The second largest Paralympic event after the Games, this World Championship is therefore a “big essay” one year from Paris 2024.

Prices “affordable” and a solidarity box office

If the tickets are paid –“logical for a quality show”, according to Guy Tisserant-, the prices are intended “affordable” : from 10.99 euros. To reserve your spot, simply go to Paris 2023 website . A solidarity ticket office has also been set up so that companies and collaborators can offer places to schools or medical-social establishments. The challenge ? “Proposing a show for the general public, familiar, unifying. » The precious sesame will allow you to attend sports competitions but also concerts. “orchestrated” each day before the afternoon sessions. Spectators will be supervised by 2,000 volunteers, whose recruitment threshold has already been reached. For those who can’t get there, the group The team promise to convey “all competition clear, free.” Specifically, viewers will have access to 60 hours live on the “L’Equipe live” site and 30 hours live on the television channel. With this new exclusive broadcasting right, the “leader in sports information” This “in his role” and listen “continue your commitment to media coverage of parasport.” Leitmotiv? “Sport is not just about competition, it is also a social issue that everyone should be able to access”, says Laurent Prud’homme, CEO of the audiovisual group, media partner of the event.

Sport to move bodies… and minds

“Sport is a great factor of social cohesion and, right now, we need it very much”, agrees Geneviève Darrieussecq, Delegate Minister for Disability, also convinced of its usefulness to “change the way people see disability.” Your expectations? “May these Games be well attended and may France win many medals! », she answers seriously. In addition, the Minister encourages “I have the same admiration for healthy and disabled athletes” and, more broadly, to “promote the performance of people with disabilities outside the stadiums.” “Performance. Pleasure. Sharing”, is precisely the creed of Paris 2023. “drilling”, it will be necessary to achieve this, this year and next, to realize the ambition of Grégory Saint-Geniès, national technical director of the FFH. “President Macron has expressed his desire to see France in the ranking of the five best Olympic nations in the world at the Paris 2024 Games. he recounts I set myself the same goal for the Paralympics! »

An overmotivated French team!

To achieve this, you can count on an overmotivated and ambitious “team”. “For me, Paris 2023 is not a ‘test’ or a ‘big rehearsal’ before Paris 2024,” says Axel Zorzi, visually impaired long jumper (T13 category), echoing the terms used by the minister and partners. “This is the biggest competition of my career! » And, this time, he intends to win it. “I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Jason Smith, the best athlete in my category, had retired yesterday, he rejoices. He had won every gold medal since 2011… “In addition to finishing second, or worse fourth, the youngster fears “empty stands” or “spectators prevented from accessing the competition due to lack of accessibility”. To avoid such a scenario, Axel, and all his colleagues, urge the public authorities to mobilize and the general public to come and discover their competition that they expect… “paradisiacal”?

A fun day in Paris

to test this “exceptional event”, a day of free entertainment was organized on March 30, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at place de la République, in Paris. The opportunity for amateur athletes, and everyone else, to meet champions and try their hand at para-athletics, but also to discover other disciplines such as wheelchair basketball, para-table tennis or even boccia. See you in 100 days!

“All rights of reproduction and representation reserved. © Handicap.fr. This article was written by Cassandre Rogeret, journalist for Handicap.fr”

Jamie Franklin

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