Libby Trickett, Grant Hackett, Michael Phelps and company, all done well at the Olympic Games held in China. Winning numerous medals between them along with many other athletes, upon arriving home in respective countries they received accolades for effort and this week we will see our own Olympians welcomed in the capital cities for a ticker tape parade. The television coverage of the Beijing games was immense, the crowds cheering on all the athletes and it mattered not what country they hailed from.
Whilst it is great to see athletes receive recognition for years of hard work, sweat and no doubt pain and sacrifice, I would like to see the Paralympians receive the same. To watch young Australian Jayme Paris; who has cerebal palsy, compete and exude such enthusiasm and joy at coming third was humbling. Here is a young lady who faced insurmountable odds, and whether she won bronze or not, was ecstatic at having competed in the Olympic Games.
Along with all the athletes of the world who presented at Beijing Paralympic Games, these people are truly deserving of the same recognition, monetary rewards and accolades that are bestowed on able bodied athletes. This is not to patronise the paralympians but to show that we are equally proud of their sporting pursuits.
This is what champions are made of!
3 comments:
It's a pity that they don't have the paralympics before the olympics, rather than the way it is at the moment, as they would get far greater viewing figures if they did, and greater publicity which the disabled athletes deserve.
Indeed they are Nunyaa. My daughter who is a teacher said one of her former students who had both legs amputated when he was a young boy due to a terrible illness won a gold medal at the Paralympics for wheelchair basketball. Everyone was so delighted for this young man who many would think had his life ruined by this tragedy but he has proved that he is a true sportsman.
I think they should run them at the same time. The paralympians deserve greater exposure. Why int integrate both events into one marvellous celebration of sport.
It was great to see our cylcists sweep the board again!
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