From iconic venues to roaring crowds, the atmosphere at the Paris Paralympics is ‘unmatched’

PARIS — From Blind Soccer at the Eiffel Tower to Para Taekwondo at the Grand Palais and Para Equestrian in the gardens of Versailles — the City of Light has served as a stunning canvas for Paralympic greatness.

But it’s the sounds of Paris that will truly send shivers down your spine. 

Tens of thousands have packed the Stade de France every night for an electric experience, and not just because of that magical purple track. 

Nineteen-year-old Ezra Frech led a stadium-wide slow clap on Tuesday during his marquee event, the high jump. His record-breaking 1.94-meter jump was met by a roaring applause. With tears in his eyes, he called himself “the happiest man alive.” 

Frech’s coach, Roderick Townsend, jumped earlier in the week in a different classification based on impairment. Nick Mayhugh let out a boisterous “LET’S GOOO” every time Townsend, his roommate in the athlete village, soared above the bar. Townsend, who claimed his 4th gold medal, said “the energy in the stadium was unmatched” and called it “night and day” compared to the atmosphere in both Tokyo and Rio.

After setting a new world record in the 100m, Jaydin Blackwell described the environment as “surreal,” adding, “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a stadium like this!” 

He’s not alone. 

Surenjav Ulambayar from Mongolia and Zahra Rahimi from Iran during the Para-Taekwondo Gold Medal contest at the Grand Palais.Tomas Stevens / Sipa USA via AP

With more than two million tickets sold, these Paralympic Games are drawing the largest crowds many of the athletes have ever competed in front of, especially for newcomers or Paralympians who had only been on the world stage during the pandemic.

More people are watching from home, too. Nielsen data from Aug. 28 to Sept. 7 shows viewership from home averaged 231,000 viewers across Peacock, NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. This represents a 125% increase from Tokyo’s Paralympics. 

Hunter Woodhall celebrates winning the Men's 400m T62 Final at the Stade de France on Friday. Joel Marklund / Sipa USA via AP

A video of Paralympian Hunter Woodhall cheering on his wife Tara in long jump at the Olympics had drawn nearly 20 million views on Instagram. Friday night, the roles were reversed, and Hunter sprinted to gold in the 400 meter with his wife ecstatic in the stands.

In Sitting Volleyball, pivotal plays are met by the “Monster Block” dance and song — truly an ear worm — which involves the crowd pumping their arms up and down.

Team USA’s Bill Hamiter said the team thrives off that energy. Same goes for American Ian Seidenfeld in Para Table Tennis. Fans banged their feet in the bleachers in a deafening unison, while chanting U-S-A at the South Paris Arena. The 23-year-old took home bronze.

Roberta Sheffield of Team Canada with her horse, Fairuza, during the Individual Freestyle Event — Grade II at Chateau de Versailles.Alex Davidson / Getty Images

Just weeks after Olympian Kate Douglass swam to two gold medals and a silver in La Défense Arena, she returned to Paris to cheer on friend and now two-time silver medalist Ali Truwit at the Paralympics. Douglass said she was surprised by the degree of excitement. 

“I knew there would be a crowd, but seeing the stands almost full was super cool,” she added.

Over at the Eiffel Tower, the volume of cheers fluctuates dramatically. During Blind Soccer, the crowd is quiet to allow the visually impaired players to listen for the soccer ball, which is equipped with bells, and follow cues from their sighted goalkeepers and coaches. There’s even a silent wave that occasionally rolls around the stadium. But when a goal is scored, the packed house erupts. Argentinian Paralympian Matias Olivera said fans are most surprised by the game’s velocity.

Charles E. Catherine-Caldaro, captain of the U.S. Blind Soccer Men’s National Team, attended numerous games and used a Vision Pad to help him follow the play. It moves the ball in real-time to mirror the field action and vibrates during exciting moments including fouls and goals. The French American said it’s helping him scout the competition, as the U.S. builds its first team for the Los Angeles Summer Games in 2028. 

“It’s the first time in my life that I actually feel cool being blind,” he said. “And that’s a feeling I want to bring home with me.”