The holiday, which serves as a nationwide communal event reinforcing self-determination and unity in the face of oppression, spans seven…
PHOTOS: Memorable moments from the 2024 Paralympics
From historic wins to marriage proposals, this year's Paralympic Games in Paris has been filled with golden moments.
American Matt Stutzman, known as the "armless archer," clinched his first Paralympic gold medal with his 149-147 win over China's Ai Xinliang in the individual compound bow competition. With the win, Stutzman became the first athlete without arms to win a gold medal in para archery.
Also on the archery field, Great Britain's Jodie Grinham won two medals: bronze in the women's individual compound and gold in the mixed team compound with her teammate, Nathan MacQueen. At seven months pregnant, she is the first openly pregnant athlete to earn a Paralympic medal in archery.
Zakia Khudadadi also claimed a place in history. Winning bronze in Taekwondo, Khudadadi became the first-ever member of the Refugee Paralympic Team to earn a medal at the Paralympic Games.
In the individual boccia competition at these Games, men and women competed separately for the first time.
Meanwhile, France's Aurelie Aubert beat all of her boccia competitors, marking the first-ever gold medal for that host country in the sport.
When twins Debora and Beatriz Borges Carneiro both earned spots atop the podium for women's 100m breaststroke, they bowed to the gold medalist, Louise Fiddes, in a throwback to when U.S. gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles paid tribute to Rebeca Andrade of Brazil in the Olympic Games earlier this summer.
In wheelchair rugby, Japan took home the gold in the final against the United States. Team USA made history with Sarah Adam, who became the first female U.S. wheelchair rugby Paralympian at the Games.
Outside of competition, some athletes used their time in the City of Love to propose. One of them was Brazil's Rogerio Junior Xavier de Oliveira, who popped the question while on the badminton court. Oliveira held out a sign asking Brazilian sitting volleyball player Edwarda de Oliveira Dias to marry him.
Italian runner Alessandro Ossola also had a similar idea. After being eliminated, Ossola ran to the stands, dropped down to one knee and asked the big question to his girlfriend, Arianna. His first wife died in a 2015 motorcycle accident, from which Ossola also lost most of his leg.
More than 4,000 athletes competed in 549 medal events across 22 sports during the Paralympic Games, which end Sunday with the closing ceremony. The 2028 Paralympic Summer Games will take place in Los Angeles.