By Marc Truffaut | Virtus President
We are now just a few weeks away from the biggest para sport event in the World - the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games - where athletes with an intellectual impairment will be competing in athletics, swimming and table tennis.
Whilst some athletes secured their place more than a year ago during the 2023 Virtus Global Games, for others the qualification period is still open and athletes around the world have been aiming for the remaining places.
Virtus anticipates around 150 athletes will compete within the classification group - a fraction of the total (more than 4000) - but none would be there were it not for the tireless work of Virtus whether providing the robust international eligibility service, competition pathways to allow qualification, or raising the profile of sport for people with an intellectual impairment worldwide.
Look out for athletes competing in the T/F20 category in athletics, S14 in swimming and Class 11 in Table Tennis as the worlds best go head-to-head. Virtus will be following athletes as they prepare for and compete in Paris, and you will be able to read their stories on our website beginning in early June.
Everyone at Virtus sends their very best wishes to those competing and we look forward to many memorable moments. But we are also reminded that this will be 4th edition where athletes with an intellectual impairment are represented in just 3 of the 22 sports available – for many years Virtus has been calling for re-inclusion in sports like Basketball and more – and the classification remains outside of the winter games entirely.
Marc Truffaut – Virtus President - feels that it is now long overdue for this to change. “Athletes with an intellectual impairment are the largest group of athletes worldwide, yet the least represented in Paralympic sport. It is time to put words into action and open more sports and more medal opportunities. Virtus is committed to making this happen and I want to thank everyone who has supported our efforts through the GlobalGiving platform”.
The Paralympic Games begin on 28th August.
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