250 young people from Lozère attended the Paralympic Games

En route pour assister au para-athlétisme. CD48 – Axel Douesnard

Timothée Adolphe et son guide sur 400 m. CD48 – Axel Douesnard

Lors de la paranatation à la Défense Aréna. CD48-Axel Douesnard – Axel 48

Lors du tennis fauteuil à Roland-Garros. CD48 – Axel Douesnard

Après les Jeux olympiques, direction les Jeux paralympiques pour vivre un événement exceptionnel.

During the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet paid tribute to the millions of supporters whose passion had made “each site a supercharged arena ; each medal a national celebration". At the initiative of the Lozère Department, 250 young people took part in this incredible surge: one hundred at the Stade de France to thrill to the victory of the Blues in rugby 7s, one hundred at Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne to encourage the Canadian and New Zealand footballers, fifty sailing at the Marina de Marseille, to follow the windsurfers and skiff skippers. And the president of Paris 2024 continued: “Dear lovers of the Games in France and all over the world, I invite you to join me on August 28, in the stands, in the fan zones, in front of your screens, for the best return match of your lifee."

Thursday August 29 and Friday August 30, 250 young people from Lozère and their supervisors took the road to Paris to attend the Paralympic Games. On Thursday evening, in a crazy atmosphere at the Arena de la Défense, the first group witnessed Ugo Didier's gold medal in para-swimming, in the 400m freestyle (S9).

The green tide

On Friday, a group was in place at Roland-Garros for wheelchair tennis, with the entry into the competition of the French Frédéric Cattanéo, Guilhem Laget and Gaëtan Menguy. They met the French coach, Yannick Noah, and the president of the French Tennis Federation, Gilles Moretton, who took part in selfies and autograph signings. At the same time, another group was at the Accor Arena in Bercy for wheelchair basketball. The “green tide” attracted the announcer of the discipline who turned out to be a Marvejolaise! A collector's t-shirt from Lozère at the Olympic Games was given to her! The group was then able to cheer on the Blues against Canada, a big match in Group A in the preliminary round.

On Saturday morning, the last hundred Lozériens were at the Stade de France for the para-athletics and Antoine Praud's bronze medal in the 1,500m. After the medal ceremony, the Lozériens were entitled to their souvenir photo with the athlete. Ideally placed in the axis of the starting line, they were also able to support Timothée Adolphe and his guide, over 400 m.

Thanks to the invitation and the organization of the Department, everything was taken care of for the participants except the first picnic, for a total budget of 95,000 euros. The 500 participants of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, at the end of July and the end of August, returned to
Lozère with stars in their eyes.