Today, the Paralympic Games are considered the premier sporting event for athletes with disabilities, both in terms of organization and competition, and are the second-largest sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games. The word "Paralympic" is a compound term derived from the word "parallel" and the term "Olympic Games." The term indicates the connection between the event and the Olympic Games and hints at the high level of athletic performance. The Paralympic Games are held at the same venues as the Olympic Games.

Athletes participating in the Paralympic Games train hard for many years, and sometimes the records they set are on par with those of able-bodied athletes, as in the case of Bench Press Weightlifting. The first Paralympic Games were held in 1960 in Rome, immediately following the Olympic Games, with around 400 athletes from 23 countries. The first Games included 8 sports, of which 6 are part of the current Paralympic Games program (Archery, Swimming, Fencing, Basketball, Table Tennis, Athletics).