Must-see Paralympic events for your kids
The London Paralympic Games begin on 29th August, and will last until the 9th of September. In 2008, our ParalympicsGB team finished second to hosts China in the Games. They brought home 102 medals and are expected to better that record in London 2012. Here are just a few of the sports that are going to amaze and inspire you over the next two weeks.
Athletics
The biggest sport of the Paralympic Games, athletics will see over a thousand athletes compete for just 170 gold medals.
Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft Photo: Twitpic
Athletics is comprised of 96 track, 70 field, and four road events, for both men and women. Athletics has been a mainstay since 1960, when the Paralympic Games were first held in Rome.
2008 Beijing Medals
In athletics the host country, China achieved most medals (38 gold, 21 silver, 18 bronze) then Australia (10 gold, nine silver, seven bronze) and then South Africa (10 gold, two silver, four bronze). Great Britain brought home two gold, seven silver and eight bronze medals in athletics.
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We have 8 world champions to look out for:
- Sprinter Libby Clegg is a Paralympic silver medallist and current World Champion in the T12 100m and 200m sprints.
- Sprinter Hannah Cockcroft is sprinter a world champion in the 100m and 200m T34 wheelchair races.
- Katrina Hart is a sprinter and won gold in the T37 in New Zealand in the World Championships.
- Paul Blake is a runner and won T36 400m gold at the 2011 World Championships.
- Dan Greaves is a Discus thrower who won Paralympic gold in 2000 & 2004, bronze in Beijing 2008 and most recently gold F44 Discus in the World Championships.
- Nathan Stephens is a Javelin and Discus thrower who brought home a gold in the F57 Javelin during the New Zealand World Championships.
- David Weir MBE is a Paralympian wheelchair athlete with 2 gold medals, a silver and a bronze from Beijing (he has six Parlympian medals to date) and World Champion in T54 800m, T54 1500m and T54 5000m.
- Richard Whitehead is a marathon runner but there is no 26 mile event in his classification so instead he is running the 200m. He won gold in the T42 200m at the 2011 World Championships
“The 200m gave me an option and a platform for success and I’ve embraced it.” “People always ask me if the blades are springy – they’re not.” Image: Richard Whitehead Twitter
Where to see Athletics
London Olympic Stadium 31 August – 8 September 2012
Boccia
Paralympics Boccia, Norway’s John Nørsterud.
Like boules or pétanque, boccia is a precision sport in which the players are required to roll leather balls as close to a smaller target ball (a ‘jack’) as possible, earning points for accuracy.
Boccia is a wheelchair sport, and can be played individually, or in teams of two or three, which can be comprised of both men and women. It has been an official Paralympic game since 1984. Boccia is one of only three Paralympic-specific sports. Along with Wheelchair Rugby and Goalball, it has no Olympic counterpart.
2008 Beijing Medals
At the last Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008, Brazil, Korea, Portugal and Great Britain all won gold medals.
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David Smith is the 2011 Europa Cup winner in Individual BC1 and current world no. 2
Look out for siblings, Stephen and Peter McGuire play Boccia.
Where to see Boccia
London Excel 2 – 8 September 2012
Goalball
The Swedish goalball team at Athens Paralympic games
A team sport for blind or visually-impaired athletes, Goalball has become one of the most popular events in the Paralympic Games since being introduced in 1980.
Players compete in teams of 3, and must deliver a ball (complete with bells) into their opponents’ net in order to score. Both blind and partially sighted players must wear a blindfold to ensure fair play.
If you’re attending this event, you’ll have to stay silent throughout!
2008 Beijing Medals
In the Beijing Olympics 2008, China won gold, USA won silver and Lithuania won bronze.
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Sister and brother, Anna and Michael Sharkey will each represent TeamGB in Goalball. The Knott brothers have been named in the men’s squad, as is Niall Graham, a former England Allstars Basketball player in non-disabled sport before his vision deteriorated.
Niall Graham, Adam Knott & David Knott who have been selected as a member of ParalympicsGB Goalball squad. Photo: onEdition 2012©
Where to see Goalball
Copperbox in the Olympic Park, London 2012.
Wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball at the 2008 Summer Paralympics between South Africa and Iran. Photo: Wikemedia
Wheelchair basketball is one of the most popular and energetic Paralympic sports.
Wheelchair basketball is largely similar to the able-bodied version of the sport, with players dribbling and passing the ball within a court.
Originally developed by American World War II veterans as a means to facilitate rehibalitation, wheelchair basketball has been a Paralympic event since Rome 1960, the first official Paralympic Games.
2008 Beijing Medals
In Beijing, Australia brought home one gold and one bronze, the USA won one gold, Canada and Germany one silver each and Great Britain one bronze.
Cheer on ParalympicsGB
Scream out for the “Bulldongs!”, the nickname of GB men’s team. For the men’s team Simon Munn is a key player, for the women’s team Helen Freeman is a strong leader.
Where to see Wheelchair basketball
North Greenwich Arena and the Basketball Arena, Aug 30 to 8 September.
Wheelchair fencing
Gabi Down, “Wheelchair Fencing is a really fast sport, you don’t have a chance to stop. You always have to be alert and it’s highly competitive.” Photo: onEdition 2012©
Like many Paralympic events, wheelchair fencing was developed following World War II, and, like its able bodied counterpart, features three disciplines: foil, sabre, and epee.
Fast-paced and action-packed, wheelchair fencing has been proved itself as one of the most thrilling Paralympic game since the tournament’s inception in 1960.
2008 Beijing Medals
At the last Paralymics, China won most medals (six gold, six silver, one bronze), Hong Kong came next (three gold, two silver, two bronze) and then France (one gold, one silver.)
Cheer on ParalympicsGB
Tom Hall-Butcher has reached a personal world ranking high of 8th in men’s Class A Sabre in 2011, and if Gabi Down is one of the youngest British athletes at the London 2012 Paralympic Games at 14 years old.
Where to see Wheelchair fencing
ExCeL, 4 – 8 September
More on the Paralympics 2012
The full list of sporting events include:
Archery
Athletics
Boccia
Cycling
Equestrian
Football 5-a-side
Football 7-a-side
Goalball
Judo
Powerlifting
Rowing
Sailing
Shooting
Sitting Volleyball
Swimming
Table Tennis
Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair Fencing
Wheelchair Rugby
Wheelchair Tennis
For a full list of Paralympics 2012 events, athletes and rules go to the British Paralympics Association website.
Photos:
Goalball Athens Paralympics 2008 via Wikimedia Commons
Boccia by Stig Morten Skjæran (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons
Wheelchair basketball at the 2008 Summer Paralympics via Wikimedia Commons
ParalympicsGB Wheelchair fencing and Goalball Copyright onEdition 2012©
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