The Relay

The Story

A simple idea: what if disabled and non-disabled athletes competed together as equals? Not in separate events, not as inspiration stories, but head-to-head in the same race.

Released ahead of the 2024 Paris Paralympics, the film followed athletes through their morning routines, training, and race day. Apple's accessibility features weren't add-ons or accommodations — they were performance tools. VoiceOver helped a low-vision swimmer identify his lane. AssistiveTouch let a cyclist with a prosthetic arm start her day. Detection Mode guided athletes through their preparation.

Derek Cianfrance, who directed "Sound of Metal," brought the vision to life. The athletes' own words drove the narrative: “We train the same way. We practice the same way. We sweat the same way. Everyone is going out there for the same reason: to be the best”.

How it gets representation right

• Competition over inspiration: Showed disabled athletes as elite competitors seeking victory, not brave individuals overcoming adversity.
• Technology as equaliser, not accommodation: Positioned Apple's features as essential training and competition tools, not specialised accommodations.
• Unified athletic narrative: Emphasised shared competitive drive and training dedication rather than highlighting disability as a difference.

Why it matters

When accessibility technology becomes standard equipment for all athletes, and when disability becomes just another form of human variation in competition, the traditional separation between Olympic and Paralympic sport reveals itself as artificial. The campaign proved that inclusive design doesn't create special categories — it creates fairer competition where athletic excellence is the only measure that matters.