Just weeks after hosting the Olympics, the summer of sports in Paris begins its final chapter Wednesday with the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. More than 4,000 athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments will compete in 22 sports over the next 11 days. Organizers are promising a spectacular show to open the Games. Once again it's being held outside the confines of a stadium, but unlike the Olympic opening ceremony, which featured a boat parade on the Seine River, the Paralympic ceremony is happening exclusively on land, with athletes parading down the famous Champs-Elysées to the ceremony at the Place de la Concorde. Artistic director Thomas Jolly, who also led the opening ceremony for the Olympics, said the event will “showcase the Paralympic athletes and the values that they embody", and promised “performances that have never been seen before." Organizers say more than 2 million tickets have been sold for the Paris Paralympics. Competition begins Thursday with the first medals handed out in taekwondo, table tennis and track cycling. Athletes are grouped by impairment levels to ensure as level a playing field as possible. Only two sports on the program, goalball and boccia, don't have an Olympic equivalent. International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said that the big crowds expected in Paris will mean a lot to the athletes, many of whom competed in front of empty stands at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “As our ambition is to be perceived and understood as the most transformational sport event on the planet, by having this atmosphere, it’s important," he told The Associated Press on the eve of the opening ceremony.

Five-time Olympic medalist Tom Daley announced his retirement from diving on Monday. Daley told British Vogue magazine he had decided to call time on his career. The 30-year-old British diver competed at five Games, making his debut at Beijing 2008 and winning gold and bronze in Tokyo, silver in Paris and bronzes at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Daley, who claimed his fifth Olympic medal in the 10m synchronised event in Paris last month, said in the interview: “It feels very, very surreal. I felt so incredibly nervous going into this, knowing it was my last Olympics.” “There was a lot of pressure and expectations. I was eager for it to be done. But when I walked out and saw my husband (Lance) and kids (Robbie and Phoenix) and my friends and family in the audience, I was like, you know what? This is exactly why I did this. “It was emotional at the end, up there on the platform, knowing it was going to be my last competitive dive. “But I have to make the decision at some point, and it feels like the right time. It’s the right time to call it a day.” Daley's gold came in the 10m synchronised event in Tokyo in 2021 alongside Matty Lee. He was back to defend his title in Paris after being convinced by his son Robbie to return to the sport. Daley won silver in the French capital alongside Noah Williams. China took gold.  

Refugee breaker Manizha Talash, or “b-girl Talash,” was disqualified from the first-ever Olympic breaking competition on Friday, after she wore a cape that said “Free Afghan Women" during her pre-qualifier battle against India Sardjoe — known as “b-girl India." The 21-year-old, originally from Afghanistan and representing the Olympic Refugee, team lost in the pre-qualifier battle against Sardjoe, and would not have advanced even if she hadn't been disqualified. Political statements and slogans are banned on the field of play and on podiums at the Olympics. World DanceSport Federation, the governing body for breaking at the Olympics, issued a statement afterward that said she "was disqualified for displaying a political slogan on her attire during the Pre-Qualifier battle.” Talash sought asylum in Spain after fleeing Taliban rule in her home country in 2021. “I’m here because I want to reach my dream. Not because I’m scared,” she told The Associated Press before the Olympics from Spain, where she was granted asylum. The one-off pre-qualifier battle between Talash and Sardjoe was added in May, when Talash was included in the Olympic roster after the b-girl from Afghanistan missed registration for qualifying events. The International Olympic Committee’s executive board invited her to participate after learning of her efforts to defy the strict rule of the Taliban in her home country.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo awarded Ukrainian athletes on Thursday with the Grand Vermeil Medal, the French capital’s highest distinction, as a move of solidarity during the 2024 Olympics. “I can imagine today both your sadness and your pride,” Hidalgo said. “The sadness of knowing that your country is still being attacked and is at war, that many of your friends, your relatives are on the front lines and fighting.” Ukrainian rower Anastasiia Kozhenkova and diver Oleksii Sereda received the medal on behalf of all Ukrainian athletes, and both already have finished their Olympic competitions. They led a group of other Ukrainian athletes who attended the reception at Paris' imposing City Hall. The athletes who won two of the country’s Olympic medals so far – bronze in women’s individual saber fencing and silver in men’s 50-meter rifle – were not at the event. The reception started with a minute of silence to honor those killed in Russia's war. Ukrainian Olympians stood still, mostly looking down. A screen hung above the stage showing photos of coaches and athletes who were killed over the past two years. It was dubbed “heaven’s team.” Ukrainian acting sports minister Matvii Bidnyi thanked Hidalgo for the support France has provided to Ukrainian athletes. Recently, the first-ever Ukrainian house opened, made possible thanks to French support. Many of the athletes at the event had finished their Olympic competitions. Another Ukrainian rower, Kateryna Dudchenko said she hoped to perform better at her first Games. The women's team placed fifth in quadruple sculls Wednesday. “Unfortunately, something went wrong, and we didn’t have enough strength at the finish because our competitors turned out to be stronger and they overtook us,” she said. “But I think that right now, for the country, the fact that we are here, that the team is participating, that we are representing our country, is already a victory.” Hidalgo, during her last visit to Ukraine, said the athletes would be welcomed as heroes in Paris. “And it’s very, very nice and very emotional for me to see that in France and the Parisian people during the opening ceremony celebrating the Ukrainian athletes as heroes,” the mayor said.

The men's Olympic triathlon planned for Tuesday has been postponed over concerns about water quality in Paris' Seine River, where the swimming portion of the race was supposed to take place. Organizers said they will try to hold the men's triathlon Wednesday instead. The women's competition is also scheduled on Wednesday, but both are subject to water tests. A risk of storms in the forecast for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings could complicate rescheduling the events. Heavy rains generally cause levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the Seine to rise. Paris experienced a downpour during the Olympic opening ceremony Friday, with rain continuing into Saturday. The swimming portion of training events meant to let the triathletes familiarize themselves with the course was canceled on both Sunday and Monday because of concerns over water quality. The decision to postpone the men's triathlon followed a meeting early Tuesday morning that included the sport’s governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team and city officials. The event is now scheduled to start at 10:45 a.m., which may make heat a factor. Wednesday's high temperature is forecast to be 95 F (35 C), and the event may be finishing at the hottest part of the day. Organizers and city officials had expressed confidence that bacteria levels would improve as skies cleared and temperatures warmed in the days that followed, but that apparently wasn't sufficient to ensure the athletes' safety. Paris made an enormous effort to improve the water quality in the long-polluted Seine so the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming event in August could be held in the famed river that runs through the city center. But bacteria levels have remained in flux. Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli, with a safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters determined by European rules. Monitoring group Eau de Paris releases data each Friday, but it is updated only through the previous Tuesday. High levels of E. coli in water can indicate contamination from sewage. Most strains are harmless and some live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. But others can be dangerous. Even a mouthful of contaminated water can lead to diarrhea, and the germ can cause illnesses such as infections in the urinary tract or in the intestines. Efforts to make the river suitable for swimming cost 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion). They include the construction of a giant basin to capture excess rainwater and keep wastewater from flowing into the river, renovating sewer infrastructure and upgrading wastewater treatment plants. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo very publicly took a swim in the river two weeks ago, along with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet, and the top government official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, along with swimmers from local swimming clubs. Data released last week show that E. coli levels at the Bras Marie were at 985 units per 100 milliliters that day, slightly above the established threshold. Other swimming events planned in the Seine are the triathlon mixed relay on Aug. 5 and the women's and men's marathon swimming events on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9.

Bangladeshi shooter Mohammad Robiul Islam will compete in the qualifying round of the men's 10-meter air rifles of the Paris Olympics' 2024 Shooting at the Chateauroux Shooting Complex on Sunday (July 28). He will be the 2nd Bangladeshi athlete to appear in the ongoing Paris Olympics after teenager archer M Sagor Islam. Bangladesh started their campaign in the 33rd Olympic Games, Paris 2024, with archer Sagor Islam competing in the ranking round of the  men's recurve singles last Thursday.  Archer Sagor Islam, who directly qualified for the Olympics as the 3rd Bangladeshi athlete after golfer Siddikur Rahman and archer Ruman Shana, ranked 45th among 64 archers scoring 652 in the ranking round of the games men's recurve singles archery on Thursday. Event's Olympics gold medalist South Korean archer Kim Woo-Jin finished top in the ranking round scoring 686.  Archer Sagor was in the top 10 position after throwing first 30 arrows, but failed to finish as per expectation, scoring zero in the last attempt. Sagor Islam will compete in the men's individual elimination round (Round of 1/32) against the Tokyo Olympics 2021 silver medalist Mauro Nespoli on Tuesday (July 30) at the same venue.  Thirty-two archers will qualify for the next round of the event on Tuesday. Besides, Swimmer Samiul Islam Rafi of Bangladesh will compete in the men's 100- meter freestyle heats at the Paris La Defense Arena also on Tuesday (July 30).  Another Bangladesh swimmer Sonia Khatun will compete in the women's 50-meter freestyle heats at the same venue on August 3. Bangladeshi fastest man Imranur Rahman will compete in men's 100-meter sprint heats on the following day (August 4) at the Stade de France. A 13-member contingent, consisting of five athletes and eight officials, are representing Bangladesh in the Paris Olympics 2024, the biggest sports carnival in the world. Leading athletes from 206 countries around the world are competing in 32 disciplines of sports  in a battle for 329 medals. Archer Mohammad Sagor Islam, who directly qualified for the Paris Olympics, carried the Bangladesh national flag in the march past the Friday's opening ceremony. Five Bangladeshi athletes are taking part in four disciplines of sports-- archery, athletics, swimming, and shooting. 

Bangladesh started their campaign in the 33rd Olympic Games, Paris 2024, with archer Sagor Islam competing in the ranking round of the men's recurve singles at Invalides on Thursday (July 25). Bangladesh's teenage archer Sagor, who directly qualified for the Olympics as just the 3rd Bangladeshi ever (after golfer Siddikur Rahman and archer Ruman Shana), today (Thursday) ranked 45th among 64 archers scoring 652 in the ranking round of the games men's recurve singles archery. He will compete in the men's individual elimination round of 1/32 on July 30, according to a message received from the Bangladesh Archery Federation. Bangladeshi shooter Rabiul Islam will appear in the qualification round of the men's 10-metre air rifles on July 28 at the Chateauroux Shooting Complex. Swimmer Samiul Islam Rafi of Bangladesh will compete in the men's 100-metre freestyle heats at the Paris La Defence Arena also on July 30. Another Bangladesh swimmer, Sonia Khatun, will compete in the women's 50-metre freestyle heats at the same venue on August 3. Bangladesh's fastest man, Imranur Rahman, will compete in his favourite men's 100-metre sprint heats on the following day (August 4) at the Stade de France Stadium. A 13-member contingent, consisting of five athletes and eight officials, is representing Bangladesh in the Paris Olympics 2024, the biggest show on earth. The opening ceremony of the 17-day biggest sports carnival of the world will be held on Friday (July 26) on the River Seine in Paris, first of its kind, through a colourful ceremony, will start at 11:30 pm Bangladesh time. Leading athletes from 206 countries around the world will compete in 32 disciplines of sports in the battle for 329 medals. Meritorious archer Mohammad Sagor Islam, who directly qualified for the Paris Olympics, will carry the Bangladesh national flag in the march past the opening ceremony. Five Bangladeshi athletes are taking part in four disciplines of sports: archery, athletics, swimming, and shooting. Sagor Islam is competing in archery, M Samiul Islam Rafi and Sonia Khatun in swimming, and Bangladesh's fastest man, Imranur Rahman, in athletics.

Bangladesh Customs clinched the top slot in the country's first-ever International Open Veteran Athletics Championship 2024 securing 78 gold, 52 silver and 30 bronze medals on the 3rd and final day of the meet at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Saturday. The Masters' Games Association of Bengal, India finished 2nd collecting 52 gold, 47 silver and 27 bronze medals while the Masters Athletics team of Sri Lanka became 3rd with 20 gold, 9 silver and 29 bronze medals. Two hundred four events were decided on the three-day meet that concluded here on Saturday. Int'l Open Veteran Athletics: Bangladesh Customs maintain top spot General Secretary of Bangladesh Athletics Federation Advocate Abdur Rakib Montu declared the meet closed at a simple ceremony on Saturday. Some 353 men's and women's athletes from five South Asian countries -- India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and hosts Bangladesh--took part in 204 events of the three-day meet. A total of 253 athletes from 36 different teams and organisations represented Bangladesh in the meet. Country's first Int'l Open Veteran Athletics begins Veteran men's athletes of 35 to 70 years age groups, divided in eight groups and women's athletes of 35 to 65 years age group, split into seven groups, participated in the meet, for the first time in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Customs maintained their top spot in the country's first-ever International Open Veteran Athletics Championship 2024 securing 51 gold, 31 silver and 19 bronze medals on the 2nd day of the three-day meet at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Friday. The Masters Games Association of Bengal, India followed the Customs team collecting 38 gold, 34 silver and 12 bronze medals while Sri Lankan team is the 3rd slot with 16 gold and 9 silver medals. One hundred and forty events were decided on the first two days of the three-day meet. Some 353 men's and women's athletes from five South Asian countries -- India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and hosts Bangladesh--are competing in 233 events of the three-day meet. A total of 253 athletes from 36 different teams and organisations are representing Bangladesh in the meet. Veteran men's athletes of 35 to 70 years age groups, divided in eight groups and women's athletes of 35 to 65 years age group, split into seven groups, are competing in the meet, for the first time in Bangladesh.

Country's first-ever International Open Veteran Athletics Championship 2024, began on Thursday at the  Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) here with Bangladesh Customs dominating the medal table securing 23 gold, 11 silver and 7 bronze medals on the first day. The Masters Games Association of Bengal, India followed the leader collecting 17 gold, 14 silver and 6 bronze medals while Sri Lankan team is in the 3rd slot with 6 gold, 3 silver and 9 bronze medals. Fifty eight events were decided on the first day (Thursday) of the three-day meet. Earlier, vice-president of Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF) and Joint Commission of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mohammad Zayedul Alam inaugurated the three-day meet, organised by Bangladesh Veteran Athletes Association, under the supervision of BAF. BAF general secretary Advocate Abdur Rakib Montu,vamong others, was present at the day's inaugural function, presided by BAF EC member Faroqul Islam. Some 353 athletes, 60 coaches and officials from five South Asian countries -- India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and hosts Bangladesh--are competing in 233 events of the three-day meet. A total of 253 athletes from 36 different teams and organisations are representing Bangladesh in the meet. Veteran men's athletes of 35 to 70 years age groups, divided in eight groups and women's athletes of 35 to 65 years age group, split into seven groups, are competing in the meet, for the first time in Bangladesh.