The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are commencing a year later than expected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But with 22 sports, more than 160 competing nations and more than 4,400 competing athletes, there is plenty to get excited about. The Games are set to run from August 24th to September 5th, 2021.

The Games will show Australia’s greatest athletes competing in 22 para-sports, such as taekwondo, wheelchair rugby, cycling and much more! Not only is this a show of Australia’s best Paralympic athletes, but it’s a chance to show the world how strong and united Australia’s disability community stands.

Recently, the International Paralympic Committee granted an additional place on the Australian Swimming Team for Para-swimmer Braedan Jason who will join the 32-strong swim team preparing for Tokyo.

Para-rowing is a recent addition to the Paralympic Games, after being included in the program for the Beijing 2008 Games. This year, four-time World Champion Kathryn Ross who won silver in the mixed double sculls at Beijing 2008 will be teaming up with Simon Albury for the Tokyo Games.

Fun Facts:
There are six broad Paralympics categories: amputee, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, wheelchair, vision impairment, and "others."

The word “Paralympic” derives from the Greek preposition “para” (beside or alongside) and the word “Olympic”. Its meaning is that Paralympics are the parallel Games to the Olympics and illustrates how the two movements exist side-by-side.