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