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   Paralympics
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Olympic RingsParalympics

This year Athens welcomes athletes with physical disabilities to the 2004 Paralympic Games, which will be held the 17th through 28th of September. The Paralympics Games have evolved into the second largest major sporting event in the world! It is surpassed in size only by the Olympic Games. The term "paralympics" actually means "next to" or "parallel" to the regular Olympic Games.

The first Olympic style games for Paralympics athletes were held in Rome right after the 1960 Olympic Games. Since then, over 23,800 athletes from 123 countries have competed in the Games. Paralympians embody the the spirit of Olympism, a set of values that enhance the physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth of participants through sport, art, and music while promoting friendship and understanding in the world.  While the Paralympics Games focus on the athlete, not the disability, spectators cannot help being inspired by the spirit of these talented men and women. In fact, the motto of the International Paralympic Committee is "Spirit in Motion."

EdGate invites you to join us in celebrating and learning about this exciting event.

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History of the Paralympics
Although organized sports for those with disabilities have been around for more than 100 years, the first Wheelchair Tennis competition was held in 1948 in Stoke Mandeville England. The competition was intentionally timed by their organizer, Dr. Ludwig Guttman, to coincide with the Olympic Games held in London that year. Dr. Guttman worked to rehabilitate World War II soldiers with spinal cord injuries by getting them involved in competitive sports. Four years after the first competition at Stoke Mandeville, athletes from the Netherlands joined the games, and the organization that is now known as the International Paralympic Comittee was born. The first Olympic style games for disabled athletes were held in Rome right after the 1960 Olympic Games and are considered the first official Paralympic Games.

To learn more about the history of Paralympics visit these sites:


Image of Dr. Guttman with permission of International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS)
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Quick Quiz

Learn about paralympic sports by testing your skill on this quick trivia quiz.

  • In Women's Wheelchair Basketball players are given a point rating, depending on their disability, what is the maximum value of the player points allowed on the floor at one time? Read a BBC news article to find out!
  • Spyros Gongos created "Proteas", this year's Paralympic mascot. Inspired by the sea, Proteas symbolizes the four values of the Athens 2004 Paralympics: strength, pursuit, inspiration and celebration. Can you guess what kind of creature he is? To check your answer visit International Paralympic site.
  • Athletes with cerebral palsy participate in one of the most popular paralympic sports, Football 7-a-side. How many players make up the team? Visit the Athens 2004 to check your answer and learn more about this exciting sport.
  • Dr. Ludwig Guttman founder of organized wheelchair tennis moved to London in 1939 from what country? For help check out his bio at International Tennis Federation
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Olympic RingsExploring the Paralympics
In order to make competition fair for all Paralympians, athletes are classified according to disability. The groups are: amputee, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, spinal cord injury, visual impairment and Les Autres ("the others"), athletes whose impairment doesn't fall into one of the previous categories.
While some sports are open to most disability groups, competition in certain sports may be restricted to athletes with a specific type of impairment, for example, members of the Judo team must be legally blind, and sitting volleyball players must have a disability that impairs one or more limbs.
Don't be fooled by the word "disability." Paralympics world records correspond closely with those of Olympic athletes.  Nigerian Ajibola Adoye, holds the Paralympics record in the men's 100 meters. His time, 10.72 seconds, is less than one second over Canadian athlete Donovan Bailey’s Olympic record of 9.84 seconds.
Paralympic world records exceed able-bodied world records in four of the Powerlifting weight categories. Click here for more comparisons of Paralympics and Olympic records, or check out the links below for more info.

Check out these sites for more information and to learn more about the spirit, sport organizations, famous people, and sports for the disabled. Disabled or not, will you be in shape for next Winter?

Paralympic logos change from organization to organization, but the International Paralympic logo has changed too. The new International Paralympic logo consists of three elements in red, blue and green - the three colors that are most widely represented in national flags around the world. The shape of the three elements (Agitos) symbolizes the new vision of the IPC "To Enable Paralympic Athletes to Achieve Sporting Excellence and to Inspire and Excite the World". The universality of the Paralympics Movement is shown through the round shape of the entire logo - symbolizing the globe. The previous logo incorporated the Tae-Geuk, which is a traditional Korean decorative motif.

Explore the new International Paralympic logo, Canadian Paralympic Logo, and Athens Paralympics emblems and get a jump on the Torino 2006 , Beijing 2008, and Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games.

 

Teachers, Check Out These Paralympics Lessons and Webquests

Paralympic Athletes
Paralympic athletes come from all over the world and each has a unique story. One thing they all have in common is the desire and determination to overcome obstacles.  Jessica Galli, is one of the top wheel chair racers in the U.S.  She was the youngest member of the USA Track & Field Team at the 2000 Paralympic games in Sydney when she won the silver medal in the 800 meter. Blind Judo athlete, Scott Moore took the gold in Sydney. He is the first American to ever win a gold medal in Olympic or Paralympic Judo!

Click on one of the links below for bios and to learn more about Team USA Paralympic athletes.


Paralympic athlete Lauren McDevitt Howard,1996 Paralympic Games.
Photo by Billy Howard, CDC

Paralympic Sports
Click on a link to learn more about the sports on the Paralympic program are shared with the Olympic Games:

 Archery · Athletics (Track & Field) · Basketball ·  Cycling · Equestrian · Fencing ·  Football (5-a-side)
Football (7-a-side) · Judo ·  Sailing · Shooting · Swimming · Table Tennis · Tennis · Volleyball

Don't forget to check out the four “unique” sports that are played at the Paralympic Games:

Boccia · Goalball · Powerlifting · Rugby

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Quick Quiz

Check your answers to these trivia questions about the Paralympic Games by clicking on the sports link or by exploring the links in the above section.

  • Quick Quiz In this event, the team that scores 11 points first wins the game.
  • Which unique Paralympic sport uses a white ball called a "jack"?
  • Paralympics world records exceed able bodied records in four weight categories in which event?
  • Men and women compete on equal terms in this multi-disability sport.
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What are the Special Olympics?

The Paralympics are not to be confused with the Special Olympics, a participatory event where all contenders receive medals. The Paralympics is a competition of elite, world class, well-trained disabled athletes. Special Olympics events are year-round, often at the local level, and offer students opportunities to volunteer and give community service.

Everyone a Winner!
The Special Olympics is dedicated to the idea of giving participants with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to become physically fit and get involved. Participation is free to individuals identified as having intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays, or significant learning problems that require specially designed instruction. Unlike the competition oriented Paralympics, the focus is on involvement and empowerment.  Every Special Olympian receives a medal and is considered a "winner." Special Olympics continues to grow and is dedicated to providing sports participation to over 1 million athletes in over 150 countries.
Want to know more about Special Olympics? Visit the links below to learn more or find out how to get involved.

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Portions of the above text were excerpted from Share the Olympic Dream--Volume II.
© 2001 by Griffin Publishing Group/United States Olympic Committee.

For information on purchasing Griffin materials, please visit the Griffin Publishing Group Web site at http://www.griffinpublishing.com.

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Partners

Griffin Publishing

International Paralympic Committee
International Paralympic Committee

US Paralympics
US Paralympics

Canadian Paralympic Committee
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