PARIS (AP) — The Paralympics Games are reaching their stretch run, as medals will be awarded in 12 sports on Thursday and tournaments get down to their last few matches.
Powerhouses are closing in on basketball and blind football medals, while standout individual performers are seeking gold and records in events from swimming to powerlifting.
Here’s a closer look at some of the expected highlights.
Semifinal action
It’s a big day for team sports across the Paralympic venues as the semifinal rounds of several tournaments play out, featuring sitting volleyball, blind football and wheelchair basketball.
Brazil has never lost in blind football at the Paralympics since it was added to the games in 2004, and its team includes Jeferson da Conceicao Goncalves, who goes by Jefinho and is sometimes called the Paralympic Pele. But it now takes on another powerhouse and rival, Argentina, winner of last year’s world championship.
The American men face Canada in a wheelchair basketball semifinal, with the United States seeking its third straight gold medal. The quick-passing U.S. team had no problem with France in the quarterfinals, winning 82-47 as both Jake Williams and Brian Bell had double-doubles.
In the other men’s wheelchair basketball semifinal, Britain plays Germany.
Iran’s towering star
Iran has had the men’s sitting volleyball bracket on lockdown for a while — winning the last two gold medals and collecting a total of seven since 1988.
Featuring the 8-foot-1 Morteza Mehrzad, the Iranians will take on Egypt in the semifinals Thursday afternoon.
Iran has yet to lose at the Games, while Egypt won two of its three preliminary matches, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The winner of the contest will take on the winner of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s match against Germany.
French swimming star seeks more medals
French swimmer Ugo Didier has found major success in two events so far, and will be aiming for more Thursday night.
Dedier competes in the S9 classification for swimmers who have difficulty applying power evenly in the water due to affected coordination.
The 22-year-old Paralympian won silver and bronze in Tokyo, and so far in Paris, he has taken gold in the men’s 400-meter freestyle and silver in the men’s 100-meter backstroke.
On Thursday, Didier will compete in the men’s 200-meter individual medley.
Ahmed aims for para powerlifting record
Two men’s and two women’s powerlifting medals will be given out Thursday, but Egypt’s Rehab Ahmed is looking for more than just gold.
Ahmed, a two-time Paralympic silver medalist, moved up from the 50 kilogram category to 55 kilograms (121 pounds) in 2023. She proceeded to win the world championship in Dubai — her fourth overall world title.
The Cairo native also broke the 55 kg world record at this summer’s World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Tbilisi, lifting 135 kg (297.6 pounds).
The Paralympic record was set back in 2016 by Mexico’s Amalia Perez Vazquez and currently sits at 130 kg (286.6 pounds).
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Anna Licastro and Jack Rachinsky contributed to this report. They and Avery Hill are students in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
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