Caroline Groot of the Netherlands won the first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games in the 500-meter time trial for the C4 and C5 classifications, setting a new world record of 35.390 seconds. French cyclist Marie Patouillet took silver, marking France's first medal of the Games, while Canada's Kate O'Brien earned bronze. The event saw British cyclist Kadeena Cox crash and miss the opportunity to restart. Afghan taekwondo Paralympian Zakia Khudadadi secured the refugee team's first ever Paralympic medal after her opponent withdrew. Chinese athletes also had a strong start, winning four gold medals in cycling and swimming events. The Games will feature 4,400 athletes competing in 549 events until September 8.