Paralympics Paris 2024

[Sulusu]

Anyone else watching today on day one?

I enjoyed the opening ceremony last night.

And she is such a nice girl and her mum is sooooo lovely. I'm so pleased she went under 1:30.00. She's one to watch.

So pleased for Alice as well in her 50m free. Ds was yelling at the Tv as she's been a real inspiration for him and her interview was brilliant - she's just such a sunny character!

Wow, Dan Pembroke in the javelin

It's fantastic.

The whole thing is just great to watch.

And Becky Redferns gold in the breaststroke. So pleased for her.

It's a great promotion for showing disability isn't something to be ignored, avoided and / or hidden away.

Faye Rogers who won gold in the 100m fly did a at post race speech about how she's learned it's not that she can't just it looks different. (She was a swimmer before a car accident that damaged an arm permanently).

Athletes showing that despite not being able to do everything someone not disabled can do in the same way but they can achieve. There is a way of people are willing to make accommodations. Give time to achieve. Listen to the disabled person about how they can be involved.

It pisses me off that even at events where para and AB are integrated people get up and leave when it's time for paras to compete.

It's fucking rude for a start but more importantly disrespectful to the athletes who have overcome greater barriers to compete equally alongside their athletic peers.

And random interesting fact!

The guy who started the para games at stoke mandeville (in 1948 when London hosted the olympics) Ludwig Guttmann then had another Dr - John Silver - join his team. (In1956)

He worked with Guttmann as the Stoke Mandeville games morphed into the Paralympic Games.

Dr John Silver discovered the neuro genetic fault my ds has and the condition is named after him!

What a story.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/sep/05/from-a-shark-attack-to-paralympic-silver-truwits-remarkable-journey

Wow, wow, wow, Sarah Storey! That was SO close - the way Storey just reeled in Gauguin when she made her break was unbelievable. What a finish!

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 So much this.

I watch the Paralympics because it's amazing elite sport. It is so crap how little parasport is shown on TV compared to the able bodied versions of the same sports. Sports which are only parasports (such as boccia) may as well not exist outside the Paralympics as far as television goes.

Ben Sandilands - absolutely smashed it in the men's T20 1500m and a world record to boot!

That finish on the road race was nail biting but Sarah Storey just got the gold! Fantastic.

Gold and bronze in the women's B road race for Sophie Unwin/Jenny Holl and Lora Fachie/Corinne Hall - fantastic stuff and, again, a nail biting finish for gold/silver.

The road racing has been great to watch. Shame the GB men's team had to drop out through illness.

I felt so sorry for Stephen Bate and Chris Latham, who have been in fine form with a silver already.

Road racing is great.

Not easy at anytime but in wet slippery conditions it's treacherous and I wouldn't have the guts to do it!

Yes, there was a lot of falling off in the Olympics, would have been even more dangerous on a tandem.

They've all smashed it in the pool again this evening. 🥳

I am watching the table tennis, go Will!

So so close but Bayley wins silver

I'm looking forward to the basketball final tomorrow - that's had me gripped to the seat ☺️ I have to say I've watched more of these guys as I'm totally in awe of their talents! The table tennis guy was sweating buckets just now on one leg and a crutch, absolutely commendable!

Universal relay about to start. It's one of my favourite events to watch in the athletics. China look big favourites for the gold.

Silver for Team GB in the relay. That's an excellent result with such strong Chinese and US teams. I'm happy Jonny Peacock goes home with a medal!

Very good silver, that last sprint from China was so quick

Will Bayley what an exhausting match, to watch!
so close
and also glad for Johnny Peacock

i havent seen many chinese in the athletics, until tonight!

GB currently on 100 medals,
and still 11 ahead of USA in the Gold medal table

I've been enjoying watching both the Olympics and Paralympics. I'll be sorry when they finish. I can't believe how many talented Paralympians we have. I hope they get their fair share of the lottery money.

He fought so hard - true athlete right there. Never showed signs of giving in.

Ds is loving watching Ade driving channels 4s car because it has the hand controls. He's just got a mobility car with the hand controls and as important as it to see other people with disabilities competing it's great they are showing other areas of having a disability as "everyday". For many it's just what they do - but it normalises it iyswim?