I think part of watching a swimmer with an obvious disability like an amputation is that it challenges what you thought you knew about swimming. It also tests what you thought you knew about disability - about the adaptations, the workarounds that people learn or invent to live or to open new possibilities.
2024 Summer Olympics (Paris)
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
I watched the wheelchair rugby last night as well. I admit I listened with a kind of macabre fascination as a couple of former players explained the rules around disability and how it affected team tactics.
The teams have a kind of ability budget. Players with upper body strength and good dexterity and full mobility in their arms are costly - they may take 3 points of your 8 point budget (for four players on the pitch) Players who lack that strength (and who therefore can't push their chairs as fast) are cheaper.
Throwing and catching will be easier for some players than others. Some players will operate more as blockers, some as sprinters, some as goal hanging (actually line-hanging) catchers/scorers. You have 12 player (mixed male/female) squad so the tactical mix can change as long as you stick to that onfield capability budget.
In terms of inclusivity it leads to some very specialised positional players but equally it opens the possibility of top tier competition in a team sport to players with a wide range of disabilities.
The teams have a kind of ability budget. Players with upper body strength and good dexterity and full mobility in their arms are costly - they may take 3 points of your 8 point budget (for four players on the pitch) Players who lack that strength (and who therefore can't push their chairs as fast) are cheaper.
Throwing and catching will be easier for some players than others. Some players will operate more as blockers, some as sprinters, some as goal hanging (actually line-hanging) catchers/scorers. You have 12 player (mixed male/female) squad so the tactical mix can change as long as you stick to that onfield capability budget.
In terms of inclusivity it leads to some very specialised positional players but equally it opens the possibility of top tier competition in a team sport to players with a wide range of disabilities.
The You Tube coverage is so much better, actually showing the events rather than waffling in the studio
It must be so hard in some events to categorise the athletes, as some seem to have so many levels of impairment within them, e.g. swimming
It must be so hard in some events to categorise the athletes, as some seem to have so many levels of impairment within them, e.g. swimming
Yesterday a young woman called Zakia Kudadadadi won bronze in the taekwondo. She was evacuated from Afghanistan and now lives in Paris. It's the first medal ever won by someone competing for the Refugee Paralympic team.
She now lives in Paris and trains with the French team.
Another of those stories that reminds you of how much sport can mean to people, even people whose own journey is about something more serious:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/a...wondo-first-refugee-paralympic-team-medallist
She now lives in Paris and trains with the French team.
Another of those stories that reminds you of how much sport can mean to people, even people whose own journey is about something more serious:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/a...wondo-first-refugee-paralympic-team-medallist
I must admit I quite like the pundit versions if only because I don't understand some of the rules of some competitions or the classifications used. It's only things like rugby where I prefer the continuity of a live continuous broadcast..
The categories thing is intriguing because it's sometimes hard to make sense of how it's fair. Just a reminder that some disabilities are more visible than others I guess.
It's particularly noticeable when an athlete has compensated so effectively for their disability while competing that you don't see that they've got a problem at all until they walk away after the competition. Then you think back and realise that actually they always stood in a particular way or moved better in one direction than the other.
A glimpse of what people can do rather just a focus what they can't.
Yes it's frustrating as the channel 4 team do a good job of explaining the categories etc and I didn't have a clue what factored times were until they explained it just wish they'd stop going to the news etc
Some categories definitely look less "fair" than others as the levels of disability seem to be so different, e.g. why are swimmers with no arms not given their own category, especially as arms are used so much in swimming, instead they were against people who looked more "able" than them I can't remember if they were leg or partial arm amputees but it didn't look fair, as the level of disability was so different
Same so near and yet so far moments for the Paralympics as Olympics- cyclist was about to catch in the pursuit already pretty much guaranteed gold...
Crashes.
Crashes.
I think the problem here is you could end up with almost countless categories.
American archer Tracy Otto, who was paralysed in a home invasion attack by her ex-boyfriend before taking up para-archery and working her way to the Paralympics, was eliminated in the quarter-final of her individual event yesterday.
But while Tracy missed out on a medal, she did get something shiny yesterday - an engagement ring from boyfriend Rick Riessle, who proposed under the Eiffel Tower, external on Saturday night.
Tracy, you'll be delighted to hear, said yes.
Riessle was also injured in the attack where Tracy was paralysed, and has stayed by her side ever since, including through all her competitions and journey to Paris.
But while Tracy missed out on a medal, she did get something shiny yesterday - an engagement ring from boyfriend Rick Riessle, who proposed under the Eiffel Tower, external on Saturday night.
Tracy, you'll be delighted to hear, said yes.
Riessle was also injured in the attack where Tracy was paralysed, and has stayed by her side ever since, including through all her competitions and journey to Paris.
Wheelchair rugby has reached the semifinal stage. GB v USA on now.
The most successful ever day for GB at the Paralympics. 12 golds.
Only following the online coverage. Channel 4 is very hit or miss.
Goalball and blind football is really enjoyable.
Goalball and blind football is really enjoyable.
Quarter finals of the blind football on at the moment. France through to the semis.
Seriously, how the feck are they all dribbling the ball so well? It's brilliant
Seriously, how the feck are they all dribbling the ball so well? It's brilliant
Table tennis SF underway. Bly Twomey is leading at the moment. She's 14 and very very good.
Sarah Storey. Amazing achievements to be 46 and get her 19th gold and 30th Paralympic medal.
Crazy achievement. In multiple sports too, which shows she's just a pure sportswomen.
Can recommend the blind judo. Bloody inspiring, especially when considering that some of the judoka are also deaf. Having trained at judo the last few years, I know how difficult it is, so the thought of training to the standard they are without being able to see or hear is mad
Watching the gold medal wheelchair tennis match.
Cracking match.
Cracking match.
Team GB have done brilliantly to bring the deficit down to 4 points in the wheelchair basketball final. 63-59 to the USA with 3:30 left in the final quarter.
The Nigerian woman in the parapowerlifting just absolutely smashed everyone. Broke the world record and it literally looked like a warm up rep. Built completely differently to all the other athletes, she's absolutely stacked.
Jean Michel Jarre ….some decent electro sounds
Apparently she moved up to this weightclass, so she was about 95kg when the next lightest was about 110kg. She beat 2nd by 12kg if I remember correctly. Rest of the field probably need to assess why they are being so easily beaten by someone so much lighter than them.
This is what the Olympics ceremony was missing, no pissing about with hanging piano etc..
Maybe more people would watch the Paralympics closing ceremony if the commentators would shut the feck up. Kavinsky is playing and you can't hear shit because they're talking!