Paralympics in Paris: Temple and STHM are ready
By: Cynthia Smith
First Published: July 29, 2024
Topics: STHM School
Fourteen Temple students and four faculty members, including STHM’s Debra Blair, will soon travel to Paris for the 2024 Paralympic Games. (Photo by Robin Hsiao)
Wonder what it will be like welcoming 4,400 athletes from around the world to compete in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games?
Fourteen Temple students and four faculty members will find out firsthand. STHM faculty member Professor Debra Blair will lead the first Temple delegation on a nine-day service immersion experience from Aug. 23 through Sept. 1.
The undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in the Temple course “The Paralympic Movement: Inclusive Sport Design” to learn about the history of the games, witness superb athletes with disabilities in action and prepare for the service immersion trip.
Blair explained her inspiration for creating this course and immersion experience.
“I spent a part of my career as a Special Olympics coach in New Jersey, and I’ve trained several athletes with intellectual disabilities who qualified for the Special Olympics World Games,” Blair says.
“I wanted to create a course where students would experience the transformational power of sport on individual lives through real-world planning and execution at the highest level of competition.”
When the Temple students and faculty arrive in Paris, they will play an active role in three areas.
One is supporting the first-ever Team USA House, a hospitality experience created specifically for Team USA athletes, alumni, families, friends, donors, corporate partners, suppliers, licensees, National Governing Bodies, International Olympic Committee members and other invited guests. It will serve as Team USA’s “home away from home” during the Games.
The second area is assisting with the Team USA Welcome Experience, the first stop as the athletes arrive for the Games.
Athletes will head to several stations, including Nike, Ralph Lauren, Oakley, Skims and New Era where they receive their official team gear. They will also be fitted for their Paralympic ring and have opportunities to create social media content and experience other exciting and engaging stations such as Topps and Fanatics for fan memorabilia.
The third area is assisting with the Team USA High Performance Center. This center serves as a private Team USA training facility during the Paralympic Games. The facility has multiple sport training venues, a full athlete dining hall that will serve lunch and dinner, and medical, nutrition and strength & conditioning support services.
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will take place beginning Aug. 28 through Sept. 8. (Adobe Stock image)
When asked if there is one Paralympian whom Blair would be starstruck to meet, she says, “I love team sports! I would love to meet Team USA’s Wheelchair Rugby team. It is such a dynamic sport, and I admire the athleticism and strategy of the game. I remember watching Murderball, a (2005) documentary about athletes who play wheelchair rugby.”
As the Temple students and faculty continue to prepare for departure, so are the athletes who will compete in 549 medal events across 22 sports, taking the spotlight at some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, the Chateau de Versailles and the Grand Palais.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the biggest sporting events for world-class athletes,” Blair states.
And with one million tickets already sold for the Paralympic Games, Blair says she and the Temple group are ready to take it all in.
“Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?”
