Last July and early August, a voice captivated everyone at the Paris Nord arena, where the Olympic boxing preliminaries were held, as well as at Roland Garros, where some of the semi-final matches of the thirty-third Olympic Games were held.

The voice belonged to baritone Nacer Zorgani, the official boxing announcer in Paris. "Ladies and gentlemen, in the red corner, representing...", his impeccable French echoed throughout the boxing matches. The audience was moved by his voice, unaware that this powerful baritone was unable to see any of them become emotional and involved in the fights being announced, ashe was severely visually impaired.

Determined like few others, and with the help of his volunteer guide, Laureline Jeunemaitre, Zorgani did not go unnoticed in the Parisian nights, where up to 20,000 people per event were delighted by his voice, allowing true and complete inclusion despite his disability.

This is what the Paralympics are all about: inclusion, changing people's attitudes. At 38 years of age, Zorgani is back to leave his mark, but as a fiercely dedicated para-judo competitor, training tirelessly for the Paralympic Games, which begin this Wednesday, 28 August at 20:00 CEST between the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées.

Zorgani will compete on 7 September in the men's 90 kg category, the J2 classification for visually impaired athletes  at the seventeenth Paralympic Games in history.

For him, the sport is much more than just a competition; it is the embodiment of his lifelong commitment to the "Way of the Bushi", a traditional Japanese martial arts philosophy that has shaped his journey.

Before finding his calling in judo, Zorgani dabbled in a variety of martial arts, including boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. "They're all the same to me," he says. "Different ways of following the path of the bushi... resilience, discipline and unwavering focus, whether in the ring, on the tatami or in life."

At 17, Zorgani was declared legally blind after a doctor diagnosed him with progressive retinal deterioration in both eyes. Three years later, he could only see blurry shapes in very bright surroundings, but that did not stop him from pushing forward, eventually becoming a baritone and a para-athlete.

It wasn't an easy journey for the Olympic boxing announcer and MC, but he persevered. "I went through very dark moments when I felt defeated by my disability," Zorgani told Usnews. "But martial arts really helped me."

As for his job as an announcer, Zorgani said, "Doing the ring announcements, with the crowds, the lights, the people, the noise, the music, the ceremonies - it's a kind of training, mental training."

In total, he presented 235 fights, announcing them in French and introducing them in English in an indescribable atmosphere, as well as 13 medal ceremonies in an Olympicboxing tournament that will remain in his memory forever.

In judo, the tactile nature of the sport is an advantage for athletes like Zorgani. From the first contact with his opponent, he uses his sense of touch to perceive their movements, balance and intentions. The lack of sight can sharpen his other senses, allowing him to anticipate and react with immediate precision.

"Judo is about feeling your opponent's energy, centre of gravity and intentions. In this sense, my visual impairment has taught me to trust my instincts and my training even more," Zorgani, who was born in Algiers on 30 September 1985, told Usnews.

Zorgani continued his training during the Paris Olympics, juggling his professional commitments with two training sessions a day.

This will be his first Paralympic Games, where he is also working as Paris 2024's Senior Project Manager for Volunteers Engagement, Training & Communication.

Although he is African, he will not be representing his native Algeria, but will be competing for Team France, his adopted country, as one of the 121 debutant Frenchpara-athletes.

After completing his professional duties, Zorgani took to LinkedIn to share his thoughts on what lies ahead in Paris. "Am I scared? Yes... Am I under pressure? Yes... but there's only one question left: Am I ready? YES! 130 steps between the warm-up area and the tatami... 3 fights, 3 times 130 steps, and 10 more between the tatami and the podium. So 400 steps to close this chapter with glory! As I said, 'gold or nothing', but I've already won.

On the basis of his success, he wrote on the same social network used by professionals: "Why? Thanks to you, to all of you, my successes are yours, my achievements are yours, everything I've done has been to make you proud and to make you feel proud. I dedicate this message especially to some of you who believed in my abilities, who accepted my failures, who treated my case with humanity and tolerance and who showed me kindness".