Founded in England in 1948 for British WWII veterans with spinal cord injuries, today the Paralympic Games are a multi-sport event for athletes with physical, mental and sensorial disabilities. This includes mobility disabilities, amputees, visual disabilities and those with cerebral palsy. The Paralympic Games are hosted by the same city as the Olympics — this year, they will be held in Tokyo from August 24-September 5. Make sure to watch our US Paralympians next month and cheer them on!
(Fun fact: did you know that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) adjusted the prize money for Paralympic athletes to equal that of Olympians — as much as a 400% increase — shortly after the 2018 Winter Olympics? The committee retroactively paid 2018 Paralympians the new higher amounts, but the 2021 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo mark the first time they will be paid equally from the start.