The Paralympic Games in Paris are set to open today with a ceremony at Place de la Concorde, beginning at 21:00 Bulgarian time. Over 4,400 athletes with disabilities will compete in 22 sports for 549 medals during the 11-day event, which runs until September 8. The historic venue at the Champs Elysees, which hosted skateboarding and 3x3 basketball during the Olympics, now welcomes Paralympians. International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons highlighted the significance of the location, symbolizing the city’s embrace of the athletes.

Bulgaria will have three representatives at the Games, all in track and field events. Among them is Rio 2016 gold medalist Ruzhdi Ruzhdi, who will compete in the F55 class in field events, designated for athletes with full arm function but no leg function. Hristiyan Stoyanov, a silver medalist from Tokyo, will run the 1500 meters in the T46 category for athletes with an amputated arm. Returning to competition after a nine-year absence due to a doping ban, Stella Eneva, a two-time silver medalist from Tokyo 2008 and London 2012, will compete in the F57 discus throw category for seated athletes with impaired limbs. These athletes will compete for medals on August 30 and 31.

Bulgaria’s history in the Paralympic Games dates back to Seoul 1988, with a total of 17 medals: 5 gold, 9 silver, and 3 bronze, primarily in athletics. The only non-athletics medal was a silver in swimming by Polina Jurova in Atlanta 1996.

Of the 22 sports featured in the Paralympics, goalball and boccia are unique to the Games. In goalball, teams of visually impaired players roll a bell-filled ball toward the opposing goal, while boccia involves throwing or rolling leather balls toward a target. The Paris Paralympics have added 10 new events since Tokyo, increasing opportunities for women and athletes with higher support needs. Approximately 2 million of the 2.5 million available tickets have already been sold, making this the second most attended Paralympic Games after London 2012. The first day of competition will feature medal events in Para Taekwondo, Para Table Tennis, Para Swimming, and Para Track Cycling.