In its second edition as a Paralympic sport, Para badminton captured the hearts of spectators with a spectacle unlike anything seen before. The Olympics had ended on a high note earlier in August, and the Paralympics picked up the baton to deliver another spectacular event.

Here are the key takeaways from the Para badminton competition:

Spread of Medals

Eleven out of 16 events saw three different countries on the podium – illustrating the spread of the sport and the medal-winning abilities of countries beyond the traditional powers. Only in five events did a country win two podium places: these were China (WS SH6 & WS WH2), Indonesia (MS SU5 & XD SL3-SU5) and India (WS SU5).

New Medallist Nations

As many as six countries won their first medal at an Olympics or Paralympics: Brazil (Vitor Tavares), Nigeria (Mariam Eniola Bolaji), USA (Miles Krajewski/Jayci Simon), Norway (Helle Sofie Sagoy), Germany (Thomas Wandscheider), Switzerland (Ilaria Renggli).

Chinese Dominance

By their high standards, China had relatively modest returns at Tokyo 2020 with five gold and three silver medals from 14 events. At Paris 2024 they demonstrated the rapid strides they had made, with nine gold and two silver from 16 events. Having arrived in Paris with their players having participated in only one tournament this year – the Para Badminton World Championships in January – China showed how well prepared they were for the events that mattered.

Inspirational stories

Beyond the court, there was no lack of inspiring personal stories. There was, for instance, Thomas Wandschneider, nearly 61, who won bronze in men’s singles Wheelchair (WH1) – a class requiring tremendous endurance and strength; Mariam Eniola Bolaji, who had survived a difficult childhood to stand on the podium (WS SL3), and Palak Kohli, who was returning to competition after a bone tumour required surgery in her left foot. Every competitor’s appearance on court was a triumph against adversity.

Atmosphere

For those who assumed that the atmosphere would be weaker compared to the Olympics, they were in for a surprise for it was nothing short of surreal. The crowds turned up at the start of play, cheering on every competitor. When French players entered the arena, the atmosphere crackled with energy and rivalled the best scenes from the Olympics.

Rising France

In turn, the audience was rewarded with brilliant performances from home players. Apart from the gold medal winning performances of Lucas Mazur and Charles Noakes, other French players such as Meril Loquette, Milena Surreau, Maud LeFort, Faustine Noel, Thomas Jakobs and David Toupe received full-throated backing – and it is likely that this will translate into long-term enthusiasm for badminton and Para badminton in France.

Emergence of Para badminton

Tokyo 2020 set the standard for Para badminton; Paris 2024 has elevated it to new heights. While the sport has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade, Paris 2024 might well be the point when it emerged in public consciousness as a sport with a distinct identity.