The global event, the Olympics, is renowned all over the world. Representatives from almost all nations in the globe are sent to showcase their ability and talent in their respective events. However, there’s another one that's less focused on; the Paralympics. The symbol is an agito, which is Latin for “I move”. It’s a powerful statement that encompasses the hardship and struggles of the athletes who had to overcome disabilities and setbacks.
The 2024 games are currently ongoing, as it started on August 28th, and it'll be ending on the 8th of this month. There are almost 4,500 athletes competing, in events ranging from the 100m backstroke, to long jump. As of right now, the team reigning at first place is China, who has over 49 gold medals, with a total of 110 medals.
As seen above, athletes Mao Jingdian and Zhao Shuai became the first ever mixed doubles gold medalists for table tennis. That’s not all however, as representatives from other countries also created historical firsts. We can see with Mariam Eniola Bolaji, from Nigeria, who earned the first African medal in badminton, taking a bronze. Yayesh Gate Tesfaw, from Ethiopia, broke her own world record for the 1500m, running a time of 4:27.68. These feats, demonstrated by these spectacular athletes, present the pinnacle of both mental and physical ability of humanity. There's no doubt that their countries are proud of them.
History
The Paralympics originally started to accommodate disabled British veterans from World War II. It began as a small gathering, organized by Dr. Guttman, for wheelchair athletes; it was called the Stoke Mandeville Games. This first historical game happened on the same day as the 1948 London Olympics. Over the years, it was transformed into the Paralympic Games, which would occur during the year, 1960, at Rome. In that game, 400 athletes participated, from 23 countries. Like the Olympics, since 1960, the Paralympic Games have been happening every four years. The person to thank for the 1960 Games is Antonio Maglio, a friend of Guttman, who proposed the idea and broadened the range to not just war veterans, but to others.
The Paris Games
As said before, the Paris Paralympics started on August 28th, and it's scheduled to end on September 8th. These athletes, coming from a multitude of countries, will participate in 22 sports, across different locations in Paris. Some highlights to share are:
In the image above, is Katsuya Hashimoto, representing Japan in their wheelchair rugby game. They won the gold medal, beating out the U.S., with a score of 48-41; a nine point difference. Japan had won bronze at the Rio Games, but failed to secure a gold at Tokyo. However, they finally secured their victory this year.
Another one is the Argentinians in their blind football match, in which they were able to beat out Japan to make it into the semifinals.
These are only a few of the stories that are available from this year's Games, so feel free to look for more.
Perception in Media
Though the Paralympics are a global event, the difference in coverage between it and the Olympics aren't surprising. Considering the recent Olympic events that took place as well as the multiple jokes that arose from it (Henrik Christiansen, the muffin man and the pommel horse guy), as well as the focus on greats like Simone Biles, it's evident that the Paralympics remain shadowed. Even though there's less of a focus on the Paralympics, that doesn't erase the imprint that it leaves on the watchers, who view these amazing athletes and their world-level performances. From recent trends, it can be assumed that in the future, the popularity and importance of the Paralympics will just keep going upwards.
As demonstrated by the Paris Games athletes, sports are for everybody, and everybody has the right to participate. Next time you open up social media, whether it's TikTok, or YouTube, search up the Paralympics and check out these athletes!
Sources:
Comentários