Paralympic Fact - Did you know......

In the last three Paralympic Games (Beijing 2008, Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000) Paralympics GB has never finished lower than second in the medal table.

 Beijing 2008 was the most successful Paralympic Games ever for Paralympics GB with a final tally of 42 gold medals.

More than half, 58 per cent, of the British Paralympic team in Beijing in 2008 were at their first Games making London 2012 a fantastic prospect for more medals.

Quote of the Week

"People get so caught up in trying to fix the person that they don't see the great diversity and benefits that the person has to bring to the rest of the world".

Alison Seylor, Mother of Alex who has autism

Paralympic Fact - Did you know.....

The classification of athletes based on their disabilities is key to the Paralympic Games. In each event athletes are classified by officials appointed by the international federation for their particular sport.

The classification system works in the same way as different weight categories for boxing, and is in place to ensure fair competition in events from athletes with different abilities.

In athletics there are five main groups of classes:

* Classes 11, 12 and 13 cover the different levels of visual impairment.

* Class 20 covers athletes with a learning disability.

* Classes 32-38 cover athletes with different levels of cerebral palsy - both wheelchair users (32-34) and those who are ambulant/do not use wheelchairs (35-38).

* Classes 40-46 cover ambulant athletes with different levels of amputations and other impairments, including les Autres – the term for a range of conditions, such as dwarfism, which result in locomotive disorders.

* Classes 51-58 cover athletes with different levels of spinal injuries and amputations who compete in wheelchairs

Quote of the Week

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see".

Mark Twain, Writer.

Paralympic Fact - Did you know......

The 2012 Summer Games feature events in 20 sports, 16 of which are also Olympic sports: Archery, Athletics (Track and Field), Wheelchair Basketball, Cycling, Equestrian, Wheelchair Fencing, soccer 5-a-side, soccer 7-a-side, Judo, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Wheelchair Tennis, Volleyball, and Rowing. The other four are Boccia, Goalball, Powerlifting, and Wheelchair Rugby.

Quote of the Week

"One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but cannot be taken away unless it is surrendered".  

Michael J. Fox, Actor

Paralympic Fact - Did you know...........

The first Paralympic Games took place in Rome, a week after the 1960 Summer Olympic Games were held there.

400 athletes with spinal cord injuries from 23 countries competed in eight sports, including snooker, fencing, field events, basketball, swimming, table tennis, archery, and the pentathlon.

In 1964, they were again held in the same venue as the Olympics, in Tokyo.

In 1968, Mexico City (home of that year's Olympics) declined to host the Paralympics, so they moved to Tel Aviv instead.

From then until 1988, the Paralympics continued to be held in locations other than the Olympics.

The 1972 Paralympics included the first competition for quadraplegics, and demonstration events for the visually impaired.

In 1976, the visually impaired, amputees, and "les autres"—a catchall term embracing many sorts of motor disabilities—were fully included for the first time.

1976 also brought the first Paralympic Winter Games, featuring events in Alpine and Nordic skiing for visually impaired athletes and amputees.