Ally Neagen
The 2024 Paris Paralympics have been a showstopper. With several viral moments on social media and athletes breaking records left, right and centre, it’s been an unbelievable summer for female athletes. In fact, this year’s Paralympics broke the record for most female athletes at the Paralympics.
In 2024, there are 1,983 women competing at the Paralympics, which is 45% of the total athletes. In comparison, at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics the ratio was 42%, with 1,846 women competing. Here’s hoping we can make it fully equal by the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
In an ever-terrifying news cycle, the remarkable talent, grit and determination on display at the Paralympics has never been more needed. We take a look at the most empowering moments of the 2024 Paris Paralympics so far.
Zakia Khudadadi makes history for Afghanistan
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
25-year-old Zakia Khudadadi has been beating the odds her entire life. She is the first Afghan woman to compete in Taekwondo internationally, and she gained international recognition after winning the African International Parataekwondo Championship in 2016 when she was only 18.
Khudadadi went on to represent Afghanistan at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, despite being initially banned from competing due to the Taliban takeover. She was ultimately granted permission by the International Paralympic Committee to compete in the event after being safely evacuated from Afghanistan. This made her the first Afghan female Paralympian to compete at the Games in 17 years, following track and field athlete Mareena Karim’s participation at the 2004 Paralympics.
Khudadadi now competes as part of the Refugee Paralympic Team and made history this summer by becoming the first athlete from the team to win a medal, winning bronze in the K44 -47kg Para-taekwondo category. She told the BBC that this medal “sends a message for all the refugees in the world to follow hope, follow freedom and follow peace”.