| The run up to the Olympics begins years in advance | | | | cerebral palsy or intellectual disability, wheelchair bound |
| of the event itself with countries bidding for the right to | | | | or visually impaired persons. Another, cover-all, |
| hold the international event in their country, attracting | | | | category is that of Les Autres. This encompasses any |
| tourists from around the globe and boosting the | | | | personal injury or disability that results in deformities, |
| country's economy way beyond what it actually costs | | | | dwarfism, MS or some such disability. |
| to stage the event itself. | | | | The Paralympics has proved a highly popular goal for |
| We have recently seen an impressive display of what | | | | those with disabilities to aim towards. From its inception |
| the world's athletes can achieve when they pull | | | | with four hundred athletes to the latest event with |
| together with the Olympics in Beijing. The world's finest | | | | 3,806 competitors, it just goes to show what an |
| gathered together to display the physical prowess and | | | | inspiration this event is. It is a well documented fact that |
| the way their achievements have brought them to be | | | | mind over matter is a strong influence on the human |
| the world's best. But what of those people whose | | | | body and while it may not be a cure-all it will certainly |
| passion in life is their sport yet through personal injury | | | | instil the will to continue with a worthwhile life. |
| are no longer able to participate? Should they just | | | | For those who have never seen the Paralympics, |
| accept their fate and become couch potatoes whilst | | | | we're not talking about simple table tennis tournaments |
| watching the Olympics on the TV screen? | | | | here. Summer sports cover many categories including; |
| Absolutely not. In 1948, the Stoke Mandeville Games | | | | archery, cycling, rowing, swimming, athletics, football, |
| began. This was essentially for war veterans who had | | | | sailing, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, |
| suffered a personal injury to the spinal cord that had | | | | wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis. The winter |
| left them without the use of their lower limbs. These | | | | games will cover sports like skiing, ice hockey and |
| games proved so successful that they were held | | | | wheelchair curling among other sports. |
| again in 1952, this time including war veterans from | | | | Adaptations are made to allow for the disability or the |
| Holland making the games an international event. It is | | | | equipment involved to assist the athlete but these are |
| believed that this was the original pre-cursor for the | | | | truly competitive sports requiring great energy and |
| Paralympics that began in Rome in 1960. | | | | stamina, even more than an able bodied athlete would |
| However, the name has taken on a slightly different | | | | need to muster, given the added difficulties that need |
| meaning since 1976 because it's not simply paraplegics | | | | to be overcome. |
| that can enter the competition but also those who | | | | Disabilities to the degree that would allow a participant |
| have suffered personal injury that leaves them with | | | | to make it the Paralympics are brought about by |
| tetraplegia or quadriplegia. These are often conditions | | | | various reasons, from car accidents to medical |
| a person is left with after suffering a severe spinal | | | | negligence, from birth defects to sporting accidents. It |
| cord injury and result in a person being paralysed in | | | | simply goes to show that there is always something |
| either the lower, upper or all limbs. | | | | worth pushing on for and it gives hope to those who |
| The categories of disability now covered by those that | | | | don't wish to participate that much can be achieved, |
| enter the Paralympics are; amputees, those with | | | | even with such difficulties to overcome. |