There seems to be a real push to get to know our Paralympians. I just clicked on Universal Sports and selected the Paralympic tab. The page is ready to rock! Things should start happening with the Opening Ceremonies which begin the evening of Sept 6th Beijing time. That would be 12 - 15 hours earlier US Time. So the morning of Sept. 6th.
I have the laundry done, I have my immunizations, and I am figuring out which suitcases will pack all this stuff. I am trying not to wait to the last moment but I'm sure there are things that I will forget until the last moment. I think I love traveling once I get there - the getting ready part is annoying.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Photos of the Swim and Track and Field Teams
I just found out that there are photos posted. Click on the Paralympic link site (A new feature I just added). I didn't see David in any of the photos - but I saw his wheel chair. It's the one with the Auburn Tiger Eyes on the back.
Dave's Swimming Schedule
Here is Dave's swim schedule:
Day 2 - Sept 8th. 50 Backstroke (Class S5 - yes, Dave swims the backstroke - amazing!)
Day 4 - Sept 10th 50 Butterfly (Class S5)
Day 6 - Sept 12th 100 Breaststroke (Class SB4)
Day 9 - Sept 15th He is probably on the 4X50 Medley Relay 20 point.
Here is some news I received from a news junkie. Thanks, Jeff!
Universal Sports To Offer TV, Digital Broadcast Of Paralympics
By Tripp Mickle, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
Universal Sports, the Olympic channel co-owned by NBC and InterMedia Partners, will offer the first-ever TV and digital broadcast of the Paralympic Games courtesy of an agreement with BOCOG and the Int'l Paralympic Committee (IPC). A TV broadcast of the '08 Paralympics will begin October 8 and will include seven days of three-hour broadcasts. Live and delayed highlights of the Games also will be available in the U.S. online at universalsports.com from September 6-17. GE has signed on as the title sponsor of the broadcasts, and Visa has signed on as an associate sponsor. Both will have branded promotions during broadcasts and advertising on TV and online. The Paralympic Games begin in Beijing September 6. They will feature 4,000 athletes from 150 countries in 20 sports. In a statement, Universal Sports CEO Claude Ruibal said, “Bringing coverage of the 2008 Paralympic Games to the U.S. is a significant milestone in our mission to celebrate the athletes and competitions that truly exemplify the human spirit.” IPC President Sir Philip Craven said, “We at the (IPC) welcome this opportunity to expand our audience in the U.S., and show what a magnificent event this will be.” Olympic play-by-play commentator Al Trautwig will host the coverage of the '08 Paralympics.
As I glance through this - it sounds like it will be televised a month after the fact but if you want up to date info go online.
Dave did email last night. He has made it to Japan and all is well. They are on an airforce base so it seems like he is still in the good ole USA.
Go USA!
Day 2 - Sept 8th. 50 Backstroke (Class S5 - yes, Dave swims the backstroke - amazing!)
Day 4 - Sept 10th 50 Butterfly (Class S5)
Day 6 - Sept 12th 100 Breaststroke (Class SB4)
Day 9 - Sept 15th He is probably on the 4X50 Medley Relay 20 point.
Here is some news I received from a news junkie. Thanks, Jeff!
Universal Sports To Offer TV, Digital Broadcast Of Paralympics
By Tripp Mickle, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
Universal Sports, the Olympic channel co-owned by NBC and InterMedia Partners, will offer the first-ever TV and digital broadcast of the Paralympic Games courtesy of an agreement with BOCOG and the Int'l Paralympic Committee (IPC). A TV broadcast of the '08 Paralympics will begin October 8 and will include seven days of three-hour broadcasts. Live and delayed highlights of the Games also will be available in the U.S. online at universalsports.com from September 6-17. GE has signed on as the title sponsor of the broadcasts, and Visa has signed on as an associate sponsor. Both will have branded promotions during broadcasts and advertising on TV and online. The Paralympic Games begin in Beijing September 6. They will feature 4,000 athletes from 150 countries in 20 sports. In a statement, Universal Sports CEO Claude Ruibal said, “Bringing coverage of the 2008 Paralympic Games to the U.S. is a significant milestone in our mission to celebrate the athletes and competitions that truly exemplify the human spirit.” IPC President Sir Philip Craven said, “We at the (IPC) welcome this opportunity to expand our audience in the U.S., and show what a magnificent event this will be.” Olympic play-by-play commentator Al Trautwig will host the coverage of the '08 Paralympics.
As I glance through this - it sounds like it will be televised a month after the fact but if you want up to date info go online.
Dave did email last night. He has made it to Japan and all is well. They are on an airforce base so it seems like he is still in the good ole USA.
Go USA!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Paralympic Info
It appears that this blog is the one that works the best for most people. I probably won't go to Myspace to blog unless it works better for pictures/video etc.
First off, Paralympic competition is not the same as Special Olympics or the Regular Olympics. To be in the Paralympics, a person has to have a physical disability. Many athletes are amputees, spinal cord injuries, blind, etc. Special Olympics is a separate event altogether and I don't think is associated with the Olympics in any way, but I could be wrong. Paralympics occur a few weeks after the Regular Olympics. Thus, Beijing is taking 12 days between the two events and then the Opening Ceremonies start again. I think Special Olympics happen at another time and place.
Tom and I bought tickets for the Opening Ceremony. We will let you know how it compares with the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Many of the sports will be similiar to the regular Olympics - there will be swimming, basketball, field and track but it will be done from wheel chairs or with prosthetics. In swimming, the athletes are classified according to their disability. There are 13 classes - the higher the number the lesser the disability. David is classified as a 4 for breaststroke but a 5 for the other events. He gets to start from the water eventhough some of his competition gets to start from the block. We still aren't sure how it is all determined but it is an attempt to level the playing field.
Other events will include wheelchair tennis, wheelchair rugby (murderball) and fencing to name a few. We hope to take in some of the other events as well.
People keep asking if the Paralympics will be televised. I haven't heard that they are but here is one site that has it scheduled online http://www.universalsports.com
also http://www.paralympicsport.tv is supposed to be showing some of the events. As I hear of more places I will keep you informed.
Thanks everyone for checking in!
Terri
First off, Paralympic competition is not the same as Special Olympics or the Regular Olympics. To be in the Paralympics, a person has to have a physical disability. Many athletes are amputees, spinal cord injuries, blind, etc. Special Olympics is a separate event altogether and I don't think is associated with the Olympics in any way, but I could be wrong. Paralympics occur a few weeks after the Regular Olympics. Thus, Beijing is taking 12 days between the two events and then the Opening Ceremonies start again. I think Special Olympics happen at another time and place.
Tom and I bought tickets for the Opening Ceremony. We will let you know how it compares with the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Many of the sports will be similiar to the regular Olympics - there will be swimming, basketball, field and track but it will be done from wheel chairs or with prosthetics. In swimming, the athletes are classified according to their disability. There are 13 classes - the higher the number the lesser the disability. David is classified as a 4 for breaststroke but a 5 for the other events. He gets to start from the water eventhough some of his competition gets to start from the block. We still aren't sure how it is all determined but it is an attempt to level the playing field.
Other events will include wheelchair tennis, wheelchair rugby (murderball) and fencing to name a few. We hope to take in some of the other events as well.
People keep asking if the Paralympics will be televised. I haven't heard that they are but here is one site that has it scheduled online http://www.universalsports.com
also http://www.paralympicsport.tv is supposed to be showing some of the events. As I hear of more places I will keep you informed.
Thanks everyone for checking in!
Terri
Friday, August 22, 2008
We're Going to China
David tried for the Olympic teams in 2000 and 2004 and just missed. After 2004, he retired from competitive swimming. As most know, David had a sledding accident that left him paralyzed. We didn't know if he would be involved in competitive swimming again. In August of 2007 his former breaststroke coach from Auburn called him to see if he wanted to swim for the Paralympic team. He did make the team and we are going to China.
The Olympic host country agrees to host the Paralympic events after the Olympics. We have been enjoying the Beijing Olympics as we watch TV to see the different things around Beijing. Maybe we won't get lost. We are renting an apartment with Dave's girlfriend, Jerrica and a friend. We are about 1/2 a mile away from the Water Cube. Walking distance, we hope. Jerrica has agreed to eat a deep fried Bug with me. I might chicken out though, and I bet Jerrica will be overjoyed.
We leave out of Denver Sept 2 with a lay over in Newark. Tom and I return Sept 14 but Jerrica is staying a bit longer.
David swims on Sept 8, 10, 12 and probably a relay which we will miss because we were clueless. We're pretty sure the Paralympics will not get the tv coverage that the Olympics have received but we have heard www.paralympicsport.tv will have coverage. However, Dave has been featured on the nbc Olympic web page found on http://www.nbcolympics.com/newscenter/news/newsid=156268.html
There is supposed to be internet service in our apartment. I will try to update my blog every other day or so - check in now and then. Feel free to share this blog with friends and be sure to check out Dave's blog now and then. www.davedenniston.com. His is always hilarious and informative when he updates.
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