The 2020 Summer Paralympics, held in Tokyo in 2021, were the first Paralympic Games postponed due to a pandemic and the first held in an odd-numbered year.
Key Facts
- Dates held
- 24 August – 5 September 2021
- Edition
- 16th Summer Paralympic Games
- Medal events
- 539 across 22 sports
- Paralympic debut sports
- Badminton and taekwondo
- Top nation (gold medals)
- China with 96 golds and 207 total medals
- Postponement cause
- COVID-19 pandemic (originally scheduled August 2020)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement of both the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics by one year in March 2020. A state of emergency in the Greater Tokyo Area further restricted public attendance, forcing organizers to hold the Games largely without spectators.
The 2020 Summer Paralympics took place in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021, featuring 539 medal events across 22 sports. Badminton and taekwondo made their Paralympic debut, replacing football 7-a-side and sailing. Athletes from around the world competed in a mostly closed-doors environment under ongoing pandemic conditions.
China topped the medal table for a fifth consecutive Paralympics with 96 gold medals, while Great Britain finished second for the ninth time. The United States achieved its best finish since 2008 with 37 golds. The Games were the first and only Paralympics held in an odd-numbered year, marking a unique moment in Paralympic history.