Torch begins its journey at English home of Paralympic Games

August 24, 2024 / 7:37 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: Four days before the Paris Paralympic Games, the Paralympic flame was lit on Saturday at Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement. British athletes Gregor Ewan and Helen Raynsford braved the rain to light the flame.

Raynsford, a para-rowing champion, and Ewan, a wheelchair curler, marked the beginning of the torch's journey. The flame's lighting ceremony took place near the hospital where German neurologist Ludwig Guttmann first organized sports for injured veterans in 1948.

International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons praised Guttmann's legacy, noting the global impact of the movement.

The torch will travel through the Channel Tunnel to France, then journey across the country before arriving in Paris. The Paralympic Games start on August 28, featuring 4,400 athletes competing in 549 events across 18 venues, including the Grand Palais and Stade de France.