🎖️ The History of the Paralympics 🎖️

Rachel_Scope

The Paralympics Opening Ceremony begins tomorrow! So to celebrate, here's a little bit of history…

The Beginning of the Games

Dr Guttman organised the Stoke Mandeville Games at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital for war veterans during the 1948 London Olympics. It included injured servicemen and women participating in archery.

The Games Start to Grow

In 1953, other countries found out about it and thought they'd join in too! They were from the Netherlands, Canada, Finland, Israel, and France. They competed in archery, netball, javelin, table tennis, and snooker.

The Paralympics are Born!

In 1960, we saw what is considered to be the first Paralympics Games in Rome which was held 6 days after the Olympics closing ceremony. 5,000 people watched the opening ceremony and 400 athletes from 23 nations took part. Quite a difference from the first Stoke Mandeville Games!

The sports included:

• Para athletics
• Wheelchair basketball
• Para swimming
• Para table tennis
• Para archery
• Snooker
• Wheelchair fencing
• Dartchery (a combination of darts and archery)

Athletes still compete in most of these sports today!

A More Inclusive Paralympics

The 1976 Toronto Paralympic Games saw those with many different disabilities take part, as only those in wheelchairs had previously competed. There were 1,657 athletes representing 40 countries. New sports were added, including Goalball, Shooting, and new Wheelchair Racing distances. Canadian television stations broadcast the event every day. It was clear that the Paralympics were here to stay and were only going to keep growing.

The 2012 London Paralympic Games

Fast-forward to 2012 and there were 164 countries competing with over 4,000 athletes! It was an event to remember with the International Paralympic Committee President describing it as "the greatest olympics ever" (well done Britain!). 69% of the British population were glued to their screens watching these amazing athletes show off their skills.

The Paralympics today

This year, the Paralympics will be held in Paris and athletes will compete in 22 sports. It's expected that a whopping 65,000 spectators will be there to cheer for their country. The medals all include a piece of the Eiffel Tower (I wonder where they found the extra pieces!) and have been designed to be distinguished by touch through engravings and braille. Hosting the Paralympics has even brought some positive changes in France, with it becoming more accessible for those with disabilities 😊

So, will you be watching? Have you watched any of the previous year's Paralympics? Which was your favourite?

chiarieds

I well know the origins of what is now the Paralympics, as, when I first qualified as a physio, I worked on my region's spinal injuries unit, & Stoke Mandeville was considered the place for rehab following a spinal injury, tho I hope we didn't do too bad.

It was at the regional spinal injuries unit that I (very foolishly) tried wheelchair basketball; the skills of those who'd been wheelchair users for a while amazed me, & at least 2 of my patients whom I'd brought to try this for the first time had a good laugh at me, & thoroughly enjoyed themselves!

I also regularly got beaten at table tennis by a tetraplegic (in a wheelchair with the bat strapped to his hand), but it was all in the name of participating & encouraging involvement in such games, tho I was the only one that did so. Exercise can become fun, which these games showed, so I had to get involved in my spare time.

How the Paralympics have evolved, & I certainly remember watching the London Paralympics; didn't the GB Paralympic contestants do well! I'll certainly be watching some events this year. I've seen the occasional member here mention boccia, which I'd never heard about before, so will be interested in watching this, & it seems we have some great contenders.

I'll certainly be watching the table tennis with Will Bayley, who has arthrogryposis multiplex congenita & the 14 year old girl he has helped in training which I just saw on TV last night.

JW77

Rachel_Scope

That's amazing that you tried wheelchair basketball @chiarieds. Did you enjoy it?

The paralympics athletes are so amazing and dedicated to their sport. It's truly admirable. Admittedly, I haven't had chance to watch any of the paralympics yet.

What's been your favourite sport so far? I'll have to watch on catch up!

chiarieds

I did enjoy it @Rachel_Scope - but couldn't believe how tiring it was using a hospital wheelchair! I think I preferred 'rehabilitating' my 2 paraplegic patients by taking them to the pub some evenings in my spare time, which they also enjoyed. I've also to catch up on the Paralympics.

Rachel_Scope

Haha yes a pub trip sounds more appealing to me too @chiarieds!