Paralympics
Hmmm (in the United Kingdom) 26 Sep 2004 at 19:35 GMT

Have any of you been watching that. There are pretty amazing people aren't they. I also think that Clare Balding and Colin Jackson make a better presenting team than Clare and Craig.
Colin also seems less camp than he did when commentating at the Olympics.

Re: Paralympics
® Pseud (in the United Kingdom) 26 Sep 2004 at 21:41 GMT

I'm afraid that for as much as it is worthy I am not the faintest bit interested in the Paralympics.
It's my problem I am sure, but it doesn't alter the fact that I don't find watching some person overcoming their "mountains" as riveting telly.

Re: Paralympics
® h™ (in the United Kingdom) 26 Sep 2004 at 21:50 GMT

But that's really what all sport is about - climbing personal 'mountains'. Doesn't matter what the sport is, it requires dedication and effort to achieve any serious level of competitiveness.

Re: Paralympics
® Pseud (in the United Kingdom) 26 Sep 2004 at 21:56 GMT

Very true - but the Paralympics is never presented in that manner.
It's always "Haven't they done well to overcome having only one leg and one arm and STILL win the gold medal backstroke!!"
I quite frankly find it rather nauseating!

Re: Paralympics
® adl (in Canada) 26 Sep 2004 at 22:51 GMT

Doing the backstroke with only one arm and leg would be an accomplishment - just overcoming the fact you've be going in a circle is quite something.

Alas, most sports today is less about overcoming personal mountains, it's about developing lucrative careers. And at the elite sports level, it's equally about sponsorships and high-tech equipment.

Re: Paralympics
® Pseud (in the United Kingdom) 27 Sep 2004 at 07:13 GMT

That's inevitable.
If you make the most of your money as a sports person then surely you wish to make the most of that career?
And, surely, also in making the most of that career comes having the best equipment and the sponsorship to get to the events??

Re: Paralympics
® River Thames (in the United Kingdom) 27 Sep 2004 at 07:42 GMT

I think, given the world we live in, it's good to see such personal achievement and human braveness

Re: Paralympics
® Lad (in the United Kingdom) 28 Sep 2004 at 18:07 GMT

I am well proud of our men and women.. Whilst I have not watched much of it, I am well pleased with their achievements..

Re: Paralympics
® Dylan1 (in the United Kingdom) 28 Sep 2004 at 20:09 GMT

I have watched some of it. The same as I followed some of the Special Olympics last year and have the pleasure of knowing one of our gold medalists.

I think it should be more mainstream and not seperated from the rest of the olympics.

People with disabilities can't usually compete against athletes without disabilities obviously, but they could compete in the same games, I think.

Re: Paralympics
® h™ (in the United Kingdom) 28 Sep 2004 at 20:23 GMT

Given some of the crap now masquerading as Olympic 'sports', I'd certainly welcome the disabled competitors to the main show. Any endeavour where the outcome is decided by opinion rather than fact should be out of the Olympics anyway.

Re: Paralympics
® Dylan1 (in the United Kingdom) 28 Sep 2004 at 20:37 GMT

I totally agree. some of the judges seemed to be watching totally different events this year.

Re: Paralympics
® chinewrde (in the United Kingdom) 28 Sep 2004 at 21:49 GMT

the uk paralympians were the finest in years and deserve a damn site more recognition than they got. 9 gold, 9 silver and 12 bronze medals - brilliant performance.

Re: Paralympics
® Toptom (in the United Kingdom) 29 Sep 2004 at 08:30 GMT

and if Tim Henman had been allowed to compete there might have been 13 bronzes.

Re: Paralympics
® Pier Queer (in the United Kingdom) 29 Sep 2004 at 09:49 GMT

I saw an interview with Tanni Grey-Whatsit & she was strongly oif the opinion that if the Paras were incorporated into the Oympics, then the Para events would get whittled down to a few of the more 'mainstream' ones (e.g. wheelchair track racing) and the rest swiftly binned.

Tellingly, and disgracefully, not *one* of the major US TV channels is showing any Paralympic coverage at all.

Re: Paralympics
® Pier Queer (in the United Kingdom) 29 Sep 2004 at 09:50 GMT

I got my R back ! Auntie Em, Auntie Em, I got my R back !!

Re: Paralympics
® nowtas (in the United Kingdom) 3 Oct 2004 at 15:03 GMT

i found much of the swimming excellent to watch - miles more interesting than during the Olympics proper. the rugby was good, savage fun too (except most of the players had been disabled after accidents during normal Rugby which makes me wonder why they want to do it!).

Plus, most of the British Male Basketball team were well fit.