In 2021, UK public broadcasting network Channel 4 launched the third iteration of its Superhumans campaign to promote its coverage of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games – a competition it has broadcast since the London Games in 2012. The campaign had two goals, which Channel 4 has been working towards refining since the London Games in 2012: to garner an audience for the Paralympic Games and to change people’s attitudes about disabilities, especially in sports.
For the first time in the history of the Olympic games, the final of the 50m freestyle
brought together nine participants – eight Olympic finalists and French Paralympic
swimmer Laurent Chardard. On the 1st of August at 3.30 am, Laurent competed against the world’s best swimmers in Lane 9 in a pool dedicated to this unique event.