LA28 unveils Paralympic competition schedule

LA28 organizers on Wednesday unveiled the competition schedule for the 2028 Paralympic Games, which will feature a record 23 sports and 560 medal events across 14 days of competition.

The Games will be the first Paralympics staged in Los Angeles and is set to be the largest in history, with more than 1,100 hours of competition planned across nearly 20 venues in seven competition zones around the Los Angeles region.

Tian Yajuan (1st R) of China competes in the rain during the women's 5000m T54 round 1 of para athletics at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

According to the organizers, all venues will be located within a 35-mile radius, aiming to provide a compact and accessible Games experience.

The opening ceremony will be held on August 15, 2028, with the closing ceremony scheduled for August 27.

Para climbing will make its Paralympic debut at LA28 after being added to the program after the International Paralympic Committee in 2024 approved to include Para climbing into the 2028 program. The sport will feature 80 athletes competing in eight medal events from August 24 to 27.

Three other new medal events will also be introduced, including one women's event each in Para table tennis and Para triathlon, as well as a new Para swimming relay for athletes with intellectual impairment.

LA28 organizers said the Games will have the largest athlete field in Paralympic history and the most gender-balanced quota, with 45 percent of athlete places allocated to women, up from 42 percent at Paris 2024.

For the first time, Paralympic competition will begin before the opening ceremony. Wheelchair rugby will start two days before the ceremony, while boccia will begin one day earlier, though LA28 said no athletes will be eliminated before the ceremony.

The final weekend is expected to be one of the busiest in Paralympic history. On August 26, described by organizers as "Super Saturday," champions will be crowned across 15 finals sessions, with more than 50 gold medals to be awarded in sports including Para archery, Para badminton, Para canoe, Para climbing, Para judo, Para swimming, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis.

The final day of competition on August 27 will feature seven finals sessions and see 20 medals before the closing ceremony.