2024-Paralympics
NANTERRE, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 02: Australian gold medalists at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics at Paris La Defense Arena on September 02, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

In the City of Lights, Paris once again set the stage for a stellar display of athleticism and uncompromising determination as the 2024 Paralympics unfolds over the French capital. From August 28 to September 8, the world has gathered for a second time to celebrate the incredible achievements of athletes who redefine the boundaries of possibility.

Earlier this year, over 10,000 athletes from 206 countries competed at the Summer Olympic Games. But it was Australia’s golden girls who swept the tally, leading to the best medal result in the competition’s history. This performance has continued through the Paralympics, too with athletes competing at the peak of their abilities and bringing home top places across the podium.

From exhilarating record-setting feats to heart-warming showcases of endurance and resilience, keep scrolling ahead for every Paralympic highlight and major Australian medal win from the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games below.

The Australian Medal Wins And Highlights From The 2024 Paris Paralympics

Day 8

Vanessa Low of Australia competes in the Women’s Long Jump – T63 and wins the gold medal at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France, on September 5, 2024. (Photo by Mauro Ujetto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Having taken home gold in three consecutive Paralympic games now, long jump sensation Vanessa Low soared in the Stade de France on the eighth day by not only defending the title she won in Toyko, but also setting a new record during the first jump of the T63 final. Low’s opening jump was 5.45m, making it the longest distance jumped by 12cm.

Day 7

Alexa-Leary
NANTERRE, FRANCE – 04: Alexa Leary of Team Australia competes, and sets a world record time during the Para Swimming Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 Heats on day seven of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics at Paris La Defense Arena on September 04, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Alexa Leary might have captured France’s attention by dancing to Kylie Minogue during the medal ceremony, but it was her performance in the Paris La Defense Arena pool on Day 7 that stole Australia’s hearts. Earlier in the day, the 23-year-old set a 59.60 world record during the morning heats, but Leary was far from finished with the competition. Leary claimed her first individual gold in the 100m freestyle (S9) with a time of 59.53 during the finals, giving her back-to-back first places after winning in the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay on Day 5. Call it fate or call it talent, Leary also explained how a clairvoyant told her parents that she would win Paralympic gold while she was in the ICU suffering from injuries obtained from a near-fatal bike accident in 2021. Not only did she fulfil this prophecy, but she did it twice.

Lauren-Parker
PARIS, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 05: Lauren Parker of Team Australia competes during the Women’s H1-4 Road Race on day eight of the Paris Paralympics at on September 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Lauren Parker, 35, has created history after becoming the first Australian Paralympian to win gold medals in two different sports at the same Games since 1976. On Day 7, two days after her previous gold, Parker sailed through the finish line in the women’s road race (H1-4) in four minutes and 11 seconds ahead of her competition. Earlier in the competition, Parker took home the top spot women’s triathlon PTWC and placed second in the women’s H1-3 individual time trial. With three medals in two days, Parker is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Day 5

Alexa-Leary
NANTERRE, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 02: Alexa Leary of Team Australia competes during the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay – 34 points on day five of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena on September 02, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

On the fifth day of the Paralympic games, Australia took home its second-biggest gold medal sweep in the games so far. It was the thrilling win from our mixed 4x100m medley relay swimmers that was the most action-packed display of the event as Alexa Leary anchored the team home in a remarkable lap. After following her teammates, Jesse Aungles, Timothy Hodge and Emily Beecroft, Leary’s final freestyle push accelerated Australia from fourth to first.

Elsewhere, Lauren Parker had a triumphant comeback by winning gold in the women’s triathlon PTWC. (The PTWC refers to athletes with “limitations in lower and upper limbs, using a handcycle for the cycling segment and a racing chair for the running segment”, as per the official classifications.) The 35-year-old narrowly nabbed silver back at Tokyo 2020, with Parker finishing one minute and 23 seconds ahead of second.

Lauren-Parker
PARIS, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 02: Lauren Parker of Team Australia competes in the Women’s PTWC Para Triathlon on day five of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at Pont Alexandre III on September 02, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Boccia, a sport played by athletes with a significant physical impairment affecting all four limbs which tests competitors’ degree of muscle control and accuracy, stars Jamieson Leeson and Daniel Michel both took home silver in the women’s and men’s individual BC3 game respectively. Swimmer Jake Michael also finished second in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB14, a category competed by athletes with intellectual impairments. Rounding out the medals is our wheelchair rugby team who chased down bronze.

Day 4

Nikki-Ayers-Jed-Altschwager
PARIS, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 01: Gold Medalists Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager of Team Australia react after crossing the finish line for the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls Final A on day four of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at Vaires-Sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on September 01, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager made history on Day 4 after becoming the first Paralympians to earn gold in the new PR3 mixed double sculls title for Para rowing. Making the moment sweeter was the fact this race was Altschwager’s Paralympic debut, with the team crossing the finish line in just over seven minutes. The Para swimming division saw Rowan Crothers and Ahmed Kelly take home silver in the men’s 100m freestyle S10 and men’s 150m individual medley SM3, respectively, with Ben Hance, Jack Ireland, Madeleine McTernan and Ruby Storm also coming second in the Mixed 4x100m freestyle S14. 

Day 3

Amanda-Reid
Australia’s Amanda Reid competes in the Women’s C1-3 500m Time Trial – Final event during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at The Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, south-west of Paris on August 31, 2024. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)

28-year-old track cyclist Amanda Reid defended her gold medal in the C1-3 500m time trial by racing to gold in the two-lap dash on the velodrome. Reid currently holds both the world and Paralympic records in the sport, with the New South Wales native describing her win as an “ unreal feeling”. 

Li-Na-Lei-Qian-Yang-
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 31: Li Na Lei (L) and Qian Yang (R) of Team Australia compete against Tzu Yu Lin and Shiau Wen Tian of team Chinese Taipei in the Women’s Doubles – WD20 Gold medal match on day three of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at South Paris Arena on August 31, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The second gold of the day came from La Na Lei and Qian Yang, the Chinese-born Australians who won their medal in the women’s doubles table tennis WD20. The pair reached the finals without losing a game and went on to become Australia’s first gold in the division since 1964. 

Day 2

It was two cycling victories that occurred only 15 minutes apart that led Australia to its second and third gold medals on Day 2. 28-year-old Korey Boddington blazed through the finish line in the men’s C4-5 1000m time trial.

Korey-Boddington
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 30: Gold medalist, Korey Boddington of Team Australia, celebrates after winning in the Men’s C-45 1000m Time Trial Final on day two of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome on August 30, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Across the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Vélodrome, 44-year-old Emily Petricola defended her title after narrowly beating New Zealand athlete Anna Taylor in the women’s C4 3000m individual pursuit. Australia also earned a silver medal at the hands of 38-year-old Jessica Gallagher, who took home second place in the cycling women’s B 1000m time trial.

Day 1

Thomas-Gallagher
NANTERRE, FRANCE – AUGUST 29: Thomas Gallagher wins the Men’s 50m Freestyle – S10 final on day one of the Paris 2024 Paralympics at Paris La Defense Arena on August 29, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

25-year-old Thomas Gallagher won Australia its first gold medal in the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris after winning gold in the Men’s 50m freestyle S10. Not only was it the first medal on the tally, but it was Gallagher’s first gold medal in his career. Gallagher previously competed in Tokyo 2020 but suffered from a near-deadly bout of pancreatitis.

“Being the first gold medal of the comp means so much for me,” Gallagher told the ABC. “In Tokyo, I was a different athlete, I had a lot of medical issues in my pancreas, so after the 400m, I ended up in hospital for about a month and nearly died,” he added. “I luckily had surgery a few years ago now that’s fixed it all and I’ve managed to turn into a sprinter…I wasn’t able to go on the podium that night but tonight makes up for it.”

Gallagher beat out fellow Australian Rowan Crothers who took home bronze in the race. Elsewhere in the pool, Australia netted two more medals with Lakeisha Patterson’s silver in the women’s 400m freestyle S9 and Brenden Hall’s bronze in the men’s 400m freestyle S9.

For more details on the Paralympics, including understanding the different classifications, click here.

RELATED: THE AUSTRALIAN MEDAL WINS AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS