2012 Paralympic Games - Stories for the "able-bodied"....

World’s biggest sporting event, the Olympic Games were concluded successfully few days back, with the United States topping the medal list with 46 Gold Medals and altogether a tally of 104 medals. What prompted me to write this article was not the breathtaking run of the Jamaicans in neither the 4x100m men’s relay nor the fact that Michael Phelps broke the long standing record of Larissa Latynina for the highest number of career gold medals (18, which he ended up with 22).

The 2012 Summer Paralympics, which was held alongside the Summer Olympics and was concluded on the 9^th September was the sole reason behind this post, as this year it featured few athletes whom I believe deserve some mentioning for their dedication and the “never-give-up” attitude which has led to their success, despite being disabled. Before we inspect details about those athletes, here are some interesting facts about the history of Paralympic Games.

The first official Paralympics for Summer Olympics were held in 1960, at Rome, Italy; while the equivalent in the Winter Olympics was held in 1976 in the Swedish city of Orndkoldsvik. However, there have been previous occasions where athletes with some form of disability have competed in Summer Olympics.

It was in 1988, that the Paralympics were held soon after the year’s Summer Olympics, which is the current trend being practiced.

Initially following the success of the first official Paralympics, a body was formed in 1964 to govern the athletes who would take part in future Paralympics, which was then known as International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD). This was subsequently reorganized as the International Paralympics Committee (IPO) in 1989.

Paralympics have a unique flag dedicated to them with blue, red and green colours, while their motto is outlined as “Spirit in Motion”.

A set of notable para-athletes have taken part in Summer Olympics too. Firstly, George Eyser, the American gymnast who had an artificial leg when he competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, and ended up winning three (3) gold medals. Subsequently in 1984, New Zealand archer Neroli Fairhall competed in the 1984 Los Angeles games. 

I would like to highlight the below mentioned athletes who competed in the 2012 Summer Paralympics, and who I believe, had that additional skill, hardwork and effort which enabled them to outshine others. However, I would like to take this an opportunity to salute all the Paralympic athletes for believing in themselves and displaying what a person could achieve if they commit to it.

Alex Zanardi (Italy)

Alex Zanardi is an Italian paracyclist, who was formerly engaged in Formula One racing and CART Racing Championships. In 2001, during a CART racing event, Zanardi met with a crash which resulted in him being in a coma for over three days before recovering. Due to the nature of the damage caused he lost both his legs from around the knee.

However, since his recovery he was engaged in cycling events as a Paracyclist, and in 2012 Summer Paralympics, at the age of 45, Zanardi bagged the gold medal in the Paracycling event which he took part. 

  

The combo of pictures above displays Alex Zanardi's accident in 2001 and his gold medal winning moment in 2012 Paralympics

His achievement was highly applauded by the audience, media and the general public. Imagine the courage levels one should have to wake up from an incident such as what happened to Zanardi. Hats off to you!!!

Oscar Pistorius (South Africa)

South African born Oscar Pistorius was certainly was the “athlete of attention” coming into the 2012 Summer Paralympics. Having competed in the 400m event in the Summer Olympics, alongside able-bodied men, Pistorius became the first ever double amputee athlete to compete in Summer Olympics.

He lost both his legs due an inborn disease and was a double amputee since age 11. He was determined to make it to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics in 400m, but failed to surpass the minimum expected time limit. However, he came back to win a place in the 2012 competition and made it to the semi-finals of the event. He was a part of the country’s 4x400m relay, while they finished with a season’s best timing. 

Above: Oscar Pistorius and the South African relay team of 4x400m, Below: Pistorius competing in the 400m men's semi finals in 2012 Summer Olympics

Pistorious was chosen as the South African flag bearer for the closing ceremony in the Summer Olympics.

In the 2012 Paralympics, he won the gold medal in the 400m (T44) event and silver in the 200m (T44) event where he was surprisingly beaten by the Brazilian, Alan Oliveira.

Pradeep Sanjaya (Sri Lanka)

Pradeep recorded the first ever medal from a Sri Lankan in Paralympics Games, by winning the bronze medal of the 400m (T46). Uniqueness of his achievement was that he was an army soldier who lost his left arm as he was injured by an LTTE rocket propelled Grenade at Kilinochchi in 2008. 

Above: Pradeep Sanjaya having won the Bronze Medal in 400m (T46), Below: The race winner Gunther Matzinger completing the race with Sanjaya in the background on left

Thus, he won all hearts of the Sri Lankan citizens by displaying what he could do, and showed the well-able bodies how it has to be done after one would fall apart in life. He was out of a sponsor at the time of accomplishment, and I seriously hope and wish that he and the rest our Para-athletes will have the financial strength of a sponsor in quick time. 

Apart from the above three athletes, Jacqueline Freney  achieved the amazing feat of winning six gold medals in a range of swimming events in the 2012 Paralympic Games, making her the best athlete of the tournament.