Record 45 Nations Launch Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games with 4,000 Athletes
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games opened on Sunday, featuring about 4,000 participants from a record 45 countries and regions.
The fifth edition of the Asian Para Games kicked off on Sunday with an opening ceremony in Nagoya, launching a week of competition across Aichi Prefecture. Approximately 4,000 athletes and officials from a record 45 nations and regions will contest 18 sports, while the host nation Japan enters about 280 participants. The torch relay started on Oct. 10 in Okazaki and passed through multiple cities before reaching the ceremony.
Organizers aim to boost visibility for people with disabilities following the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. Certain disciplines, including shooting and the men's and women's wheelchair tennis singles, double as qualification pathways for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, granting direct spots to the winners. Wheelchair rugby returns after a three-edition hiatus, and Japan looks to defend its wheelchair basketball title.
Why it matters
The Games showcase athletes with disabilities on a continental stage and serve as qualifiers for the 2028 Paralympics.
How this story developed
- Oct 4 Japan's 2026 Asian Games close amid record feats, logistical woes and low crowds
- Oct 13 Youth athletes set multiple world records during the Games.
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