EXCLUSIVE: I had a front-row seat to the Alexa Leary show, and it's something I will never forget
Paris La Defense Arena, an impressively versatile structure in the western suburb of Nanterre, has hosted some of the biggest names in the world; Taylor Swift, Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones.
With 13 kilometres of stands wrapping around its core, the arena can hold tens of thousands of people, and on Wednesday night the stage belonged to Australian Alexa Leary.
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Nine commentators Dylan Alcott and Sylvia Jeffreys pose with Alexa Leary's dad Russel at La Defense Arena. Supplied
Fans, friends and the families of Paralympians from every corner of the world filled seats up to the rafters and they roared in unison every time the starter's gun beeped.
There was a buzz in the air that put goosebumps on our skin.
Sport at its highest level is always thrilling and entertaining but at the Paralympic Games, there is an added layer of appreciation for the human spirit that makes this elite competition a powder keg of emotion.
When Alexa's name was announced to the arena she emerged from the tunnel with steely determination; something she refers to as "beast mode".
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It's hard to imagine the pressure she had to stare down at that moment.
Australia is so invested in Alexa Leary.
Her story of survival, grit and determination, paired with her delightfully joyous and confident outlook, has won us all over.
She doesn't just defy the odds, she laughs them off and tells the world she'll smash them.
But in the seconds before she stood on the blocks, I was worried the moment had got to her.
As the first whistle blew to signal the athletes, she frantically grabbed for a drink bottle, took the briefest of sips, and threw it back at her box of belongings without much care for where it landed.
It may not seem like a significant moment on paper, but there was a nervous energy in how she handled that bottle, and of course, she could be forgiven for feeling the enormity of what would come next.
She'd already delivered a world record in the heats. Had she gone out too hard, too fast?
The next 59.53 seconds was an amazing blur.
"Lex" dominated from lane four from the moment she hit the water.
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If there were any nerves, she'd shaken them off. Beast mode activated.
The roar from the crowd was deafening and it wasn't just the Aussie contingent screaming for her.
I looked around the arena to see families from France, Brazil and Mexico shouting, "Go, Lex. Go!"
The American in lane five made a late charge in the final 10 metres, but it wasn't enough to spoil the party.
She touched the wall for her second world record in one day and cemented her name in the Paralympics legacy.
We all screamed some more. What a privilege to witness something so special and historic.
I had a front-row seat to the Alexa Leary show, and it's something I will never forget.
Nine commentators Sylvia Jeffreys and Dylan Alcott cheer on Alexa Leary. Nine
Cheers turned to tears as the Australian flag was hoisted into the air.
Alexa Leary on top of the podium with a gold medal around her neck was a sight to behold.
A moment of pride for every Australian, and a lesson in what is possible.
And just like that, music filled the stadium and Lex went straight back to beast mode, head banging to Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out of My Head; a fitting anthem for a remarkable athlete who will forever hold a place in our hearts.
