What new sports will there be at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games?

Excitement is mounting as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Paralympic Games, a historic first for the city.

Featuring a range of dynamic new sports and state-of-the-art venues, the Games promise to be an exciting and inclusive experience.

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Where will the 2028 Paralympic Games take place?

The 2028 Paralympic Games will take place in Los Angeles, California, USA, from 15 to 27 August 2028.

This event is a follow-up to the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will also take place in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said: “Now that the dates are set, Los Angeles is ready and excited to host the Olympic Games for the third time and the Paralympic Games for the first time in history.

“The Games present a unique opportunity for LA: a bold investment in our communities, with equality and progress at the core.

“This will create tremendous opportunities in every corner of the city and ensure a lasting legacy for future generations of Los Angeles residents.”

Here are some locations for the Paralympic Games:

• Sports park in the center will host a variety of events including para-swimming, para-badminton, para-cycling (road), wheelchair rugby, Boccia, para-athletics and para-powerlifting.
• Long Beach Sports Park will be the location for the para-triathlon.
• South Bay Sports Park will consist of paracycling (track), wheelchair tennis and blind football.
• Valley Sports Park organizes shooting sports and para-horse riding events.
• More Perris will be the location for para-canoeing and para-rowing.
• LA Stadium will be the location for the opening and closing ceremonies.

What new sports will there be at the 2028 Paralympic Games?

Paraclimbing will make its debut as a new sport during the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

This is a significant addition to the Paralympic programme, bringing the total number of sports at the 2028 Games to 23.

Paraclimbing is a fast-paced and exciting sport that has become increasingly popular in recent times, especially after the introduction of climbing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The decision to include paraclimbing in the Paralympic Games was taken by the LA28 organising committee, which chose between paraclimbing and parasurfing as potential new sports.

IPC President Andrew Parsons said: “Paraclimbing is a fast, exciting sport that will undoubtedly attract a new audience to the Paralympic Games.

“You only have to look at the impact of sport on the Olympic Games programme to understand this.”

What is paraclimbing?

Paraclimbing is a form of rock climbing specifically developed for athletes with physical, sensory or neurological disabilities.

It offers people with various disabilities the opportunity to climb using specialized equipment, adapted techniques and support systems tailored to their needs.

In paraclimbing competitions, a classification system is used to group athletes based on their type and degree of disability.

Common categories include visual impairment, amputations, and neurological disorders.

This ensures fair competition between climbers of similar skill.

Depending on the climber’s needs, adjustments can be made to the climbing route and climbing equipment.

For example, climbers with limited grip strength may use special holds, while people with visual impairments rely on verbal guidance from a coach or partner.

Paraclimbing competitions are similar to traditional climbing and often consist of lead climbing (climbing with a rope attached), bouldering (short, challenging routes without ropes), and speed climbing.