The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, which started on August 24th, feature around 4,400 athletes who are competing in 539 medal events. They will come to an end on September 5th.
The final medal event programme and athlete quotas were approved by the IPC Governing Board on 4 September 2017 following the conclusion of a 10-month-long consultation exercise with international federations.
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows Maya Nakanishi of Japan competing in the Athletics Women’s Long Jump – T64 at the Olympic Stadium during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Game in Tokyo, Japan, 28 August 2021. EPA-EFE/Thomas Lovelock for OIS HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows Haven Shepherd USA with her prosthetic legs at the side of the pool after the Women?s Swimming 200m Individual Medley SM8 Final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 28 August 2021. HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows Athletes in the Japan JPN team dive off the blocks at the start the Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay S14 Final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 28 August 2021. EPA-EFE/Joel Marklund for OIS HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows A member of the Japan Self-Defense Forces handles the Japanese national flag at the medal ceremony for the Table Tennis Women’s Singles Class 11 Podium in the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 28 August 2021. EPA-EFE/Joe Toth for OIS HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows Ntando Mahlangu RSA competing in the Athletics Men’s Long Jump – T63 T61 in the Olympic Stadium, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, 28 August 2021. EPA-EFE/Thomas Lovelock for OIS HANDOUT HANDOUT Handout image supplied by OIS/IOC. Olympic Information Services OIS. This image is offered for editorial use only by the IOC. Commercial use is prohibited. HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows Lauren Parker of Australia (L) and Kendall Gretsch of the USA approaching the finish linel in the Women’s Triathlon PTWC at Odaiba Marine Park during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, 29 August 2021. EPA-EFE/Joe Toth for OIS HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows Martin Schulz of Germany crossing the finish line to take the Gold Medal in the Men’s Triathlon PTS5 at Odaiba Marine Park during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, 29 August 2021. EPA-EFE/Joe Toth for OIS HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES 
A handout photo made available by OIS/IOC shows Tatyana McFadden of the USA leading the field in the Athletics Women?s 800m T54 Round 1 Heat 1 race in the Olympic Stadium during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, 29 August 2021. EPA-EFE/Thomas Lovelock for OIS HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
Key highlights include:
• At least 1,756 slots for female athletes, the most ever, which represents a 17 per cent increase in the number of women that took part in London 2012. This number is likely to increase further due to the allocation of 294 gender free slots.
• Badminton and taekwondo, the two sports that will make their Paralympic debut in Tokyo, have been awarded with 14 and 6 medal events respectively
• Canoe, which made its Paralympic debut at Rio 2016 with six medal events, will have nine medal events due to the inclusion of three va’a class events
• As part of the IPC’s drive to increase opportunities for athletes with high support needs, the sport of boccia has been allocated 116 athlete slots, 8 more than Rio 2016
• Compared to Rio 2016 14 sports will feature the same number of athletes. The sports of boccia, canoe, judo, shooting, table tennis, triathlon and wheelchair fencing all have additional slots
• Four sports – canoe, shooting, table tennis and wheelchair fencing – have more medal events than Rio 2016 while athletics and swimming have less events.
