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Watch: NZ athletes take part in Paralympics opening ceremony

August 29, 2024

New Zealand has arrived at the Paralympic Games opening ceremony, parading along the Champs-Elysees to the Place de la Concorde.

The New Zealand Paralympic team is led by Cameron Leslie and Anna Grimaldi, who are the joint flag bearers.

Anna Grimaldi and Cameron Leslie lead the New Zealand team at the Paralympics opening ceremony

Leslie, 34, has won gold in the men's 150m individual medley three times, and is representing NZ at his fourth Olympic Games.

Grimaldi took home the gold medal for the women's long jump T47 in Tokyo with a Paralympic record jump of 5.76m. She also won gold in Rio.

There are 25 Kiwi athletes competing across eight different sports at the Games.

The ceremony kicked off with a performance from performers in black suits on an oval stage around the Place de la Concorde. The Arc de Triomphe could be seen behind the athletes as they entered the arena.

A flyover by Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France left the French tricolour imprinted in the Paris sky.

The French team at the opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympics

Action gets underway tonight with New Zealand's first Para Badminton athlete Wojtek Czyz, who only took up the sport three years ago.

The 44-year-old will feature in the Men's Singles SL3 taking on Daniel Bethell of Great Britain starting from 10:30pm this evening.

Czyz will be at his fourth Paralympic Games (2004, 2008 and 2012), but this will be his first representing his new homeland of New Zealand. He has won seven medals in Para athletics as a sprinter and long jumper for Germany.

Nicole Murray will compete in the Women's C4-5 500m with time trial qualification starting at 10pm and the final taking place at 1:50am.

Watch the Paralympics live on TVNZ+ and TVNZ1 from August 29-September 9.

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