How is Team USA doing at the 2024 Paris Paralympics?

After the Olympics closing ceremony, you’re urged to stick around for the Paralympics, a competitive multi-sport event for disabled athletes. This year, the Paris 2024 Olympics marked the first time in history when the world’s 8 billion people can watch the games. All 22 sports are being broadcast live for the first time ever. If you’re not already tuned into that coverage, it’s streaming on Peacock and is also broadcast through NBCUniversal channels. Some events will air on CNBC, USA Network and NBC. Just like their Olympic counterparts, our American para-athletes are doing a great job (the Paralympics began Aug 28 and continue until Sept 8), and we’re going to round up the medal winners as of this writing.

When did the Paralympics begin?

The first Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960, emerging from the 1948 Stoke Mandeville Games, which involved 16 injured servicemen and women in wheelchairs who competed in archery on the day of the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics.

Why are they called the Paralympics?

The word “Paralympic” has roots in the Greek preposition “para” (beside or alongside) and the word “Olympic,” illustrating that the Paralympics are the parallel Games to the Olympics, according to the International Paralympic Committee.

How does it work with athletes who may have different disabilities?

The committee uses a classification system to ensure a level playing field between athletes with different impairments.

Are there any sports that you can find only at the Paralympics?

Yes, boccia and goalball, according to Olympics.com. Boccia is similar to bocce ball or pétanque and is played by athletes in wheelchairs. Goalball is a team sport for athletes who are visually impaired or blind and involves moving a ball with bells inside it toward a goal while the opposing team tries to block. This amazing and dramatic sport must involve complete spectator silence so that the players can hear the ball.

Another unique feature is that guides (in para athletics and para triathlon) and pilots (in para cycling and para triathlon) win medals as well.

How many medals does the U.S. have so far?

Thanks to Olympics.com, we have data for the American medal winners as of today. The U.S. is currently in third place, behind People’s Republic of China and Great Britain respectively, with 60 medals. We have 25 gold, 4 silver and 11 bronze medals. We have medaled in 12 out of 22 sports.

Who are the U.S. medal winners at the 2024 Paralympics so far?

These are the medals we have won in each of the categories:

Para Archery

• Gold: 2
• Total: 2

Para Athletics

• Gold: 8
• Silver: 6
• Bronze: 6
• Total: 20

Para Badminton

• Silver: 1
• Total: 1

Para Cycling Road

• Gold: 3
• Total: 3

Para Cycling Track

• Bronze: 1
• Total: 1

Para Equestrian

• Gold: 2
• Silver: 1
• Total: 3

Para Rowing

• Silver: 1
• Total: 1

Para Swimming

• Gold: 7
• Silver: 10
• Bronze: 1
• Total: 18

Para Taekwondo

• Bronze: 1
• Total: 1

Para Triathalon

• Gold: 3
• Silver: 3
• Bronze: 2
• Total: 8

Shooting Para Sport

• Silver: 1
• Total: 1

Wheelchair Rugby

• Silver: 1
• Total: 1