Akeem Stewart settles down at Paralympic Games

TWO-TIME Paralympic medallist Akeem Stewart will be Trinidad and Tobago's lone athlete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France.

At the Games, Stewart will compete in one event, the men's discus F64 class – a merged class (F42/43/44/61/62/63/64) for athletes with moderately affected movement in one or both legs or the absence of limbs.

On August 27, Newsday spoke via phone to TT's chef de mission Mickey Ruben, who said Stewart arrived in Paris on August 26 and described the process as "running smoothly."

"Today (August 27) was his (Stewart) first day training in Paris.

"We have had no issues so far. It's just for him to stay healthy and do what he needs to do to ensure he's physically and mentally prepared."

This is  Stewart's second Paralympic Games , as TT was not represented at the covid-delayed Tokyo 2020 Games (held in 2021). Stewart opted not to compete, as he did not get enough preparation time to represent TT at his best.

His last Paralympic Games was back in Rio 2016, where he won a gold and silver medal in the F44 javelin and F44 discus events respectively.

Since Rio 2016, Stewart became a triple champion at the 2017 Para-World Championships in London, England, winning gold in the F44 (javelin, shot put and discus) events. He broke two world records in the process. He still holds the F44 world record with a throw of 19.08m.

At the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, Stewart won gold in the F64 discus throw, setting a new world record (63.70m) and a silver in the F64 javelin throw.

This will be the first time Paris hosts the Paralympic Games.

On August 28, the opening ceremony will once again take place outside the stadium – as at the Olympic Games, held a month ago, which had its opening ceremony on boats in the Seine – with athletes parading down the Champs-Elysées to Place de La Concorde, culminating in a celebration and official opening of the Paralympic Games at the iconic square.

TT has been represented at the 1984, 1988, 2012, 2016 and now the 2024 Paralympic Games.

Overall TT athletes have done quite well, bagging three gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

TT's most decorated athlete at the Paralympic Games has been Rachael Marshall, who in New York 1984 won two gold and a bronze medal in the women's shot put (L5), javelin (L5) and 100m freestyle (L6).

The Paralympic Games, expected to run from August 28-September 8, will feature 4,400 athletes from 184 delegations around the world. The athletes will compete in 22 sporting disciplines.

Stewart is set to compete on September 5 at 11.05 am TT time.