The Paralympic Games start on Tuesday and we can’t wait to watch the world’s best athletes compete. NBC has significantly expanded its television and streaming coverage of the Paralympics — in all, it will be offering 1,200 hours of coverage, including 200 hours of television coverage, much of it live.
On Aug. 24 and you can watch the Opening Ceremonies live from 7-10 a.m. (ET) on the NBCSN television channel. If you miss them live, they will be rebroadcast from 7-10 p.m. (ET), also on NBCSN.
Here’s our list of our top 10 Paralympic sports featuring wheelchair users, and when, where and why you should watch them. For detailed TV and streaming schedules, visit the NBC Olympics website. To find more information on each sport and all the other competitions at the Tokyo games, including video explainers and a detailed competition schedule, visit the Tokyo 2020 website.
- When: Friday, Aug. 27 to Sunday, Sept. 5
- Where: NBCSN (TV), Olympics Channel (TV), NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: Athletics has everything, from throwing sports to sprints to marathon times that make Olympic records look like child’s play. They also feature some of the Paralympics’ biggest stars, including Team USA wheelchair racing standout Tatyana McFadden.
- When: Wednesday, Sept. 1 to Sunday, Sept. 5
- Where: Coverage starts Sept. 3 on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: Badminton is making its Paralympics debut in Tokyo. Watch the intensity with which these competitors knock the shuttlecock back and forth, and you’ll understand why Badminton is one of the fastest growing adaptive sports in the world.
- When: Saturday, Aug. 28 to Saturday, Sept. 4
- Where: Coverage starts Aug. 30 on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: Competitors, ranging from standup athletes with cerebral palsy to manual and power wheelchair users, take turns trying to land their balls closest to the jack and knock their opponent’s out of the way. Matches are so tightly contested that officials have to use calipers to measure the final placements.
- When: Thursday, Sept. 2 to Saturday, Sept. 4
- Where: NBCSN (TV), NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: The speed at which these competitors can propel themselves through the water is simply astounding. Boats range from sleek racing kayaks to a long, outrigger-equipped canoe that’s making its debut at a new event.
- When: Tuesday, Aug. 31 to Friday, Sept. 3
- Where: NBCSN (TV), NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: Modern racing handcycles are like science fiction made reality, and these athletes propel them with a mix of power and endurance that’s hard to take your eyes off of. Team USA standouts include Oksana Masters and Will Groulx, who’ve both won multiple medals in past games and are expected to vie for the top of the podium in Tokyo.
- When: Wednesday, Aug. 25 to Friday, Sept. 3
- Where: NBCSN (TV), NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: Watching the variety of ways that athletes adapt their starts, strokes and turns based on their functional abilities is a whole lot of fun. Team USA has had consistent success in swimming, and their outlook is just as golden in Tokyo.
- When: Wednesday, Aug. 25 to Sunday, Sept. 5
- Where: NBCSN (TV), NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: Wheelchair basketball was one of the first adaptive sports, and these athletes move in their wheelchairs in ways you could only dream of. Team USA men and women are both looking to defend their gold medals from the Rio Games.
- When: Wednesday, Aug. 25 to Sunday, Aug. 29
- Where: Livestreaming available on Paralympic.org
- Why: Watching these athletes strap themselves into their chairs and go at each other will make you realize that there are at least a few wheelchair users who would survive the apocalypse. Italian Beatrice Vio is one of the Paralympics’ brightest starts and looks to defend her Rio gold medal in Tokyo.
- When: Wednesday, Aug. 25 to Sunday, Aug. 29
- Where: NBCSN (TV), NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: This sport designed specifically for athletes with impairments in all four limbs is one of the most intense (and hardest-hitting) Paralympics sports. Team USA is looking to avenge a Rio 2016 overtime loss to gold-medal winning Australia with a gold in Tokyo.
- When: Friday, Aug. 27 to Saturday, Sept. 4
- Where: NBCSN (TV), NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports App
- Why: These nail-biting matches feature speed, ridiculous wheelchair skills and cross-court shots that rival anything in the nondisabled game. Team USA’s David Wagner is one of the most decorated wheelchair tennis players of all time and is looking to continue his medal-winning ways in Toyko.
For more coverage of the Tokyo Paralympics, including blogs from athletes who are competing, please keep checking the New Mobility homepage. Happy viewing!
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