Anyway, isn’t it a bit odd for Libby Clegg’s male guide to get a gold medal? I mean he’s just run way off his PB and there are probably 100s of runners who could do his job.

Do they get disability benefit whilst working in Rio?

Being a guide looks pretty tricky tbh, it’s not just the running, it’s the coordination, and they train constantly together.

Don’t know if she’s still on here these days but STWist Anne Dickins is representing the UK in the paracanoeing- we rode with her at A Quick Release a few years back before her injury, she was part of a winning mixed pair at Relentless and 4th at the world solo 24s… she’d never even sat in a canoe, now she’s world champion. Pretty crazy and inspiring stuff. And I feel less bad that she kicked my arse up every climb 😆

I’m going to note that there’s an upcoming scandal regarding the classification of para-athletes.
Liam Malone is so raw and stoked, and I applaud his +/-.
I recognise TeamGB being second in the tables, but for me the real heroes are those outside the medals.

Am I allowed to say I really couldn’t give a toss about the paralympics…?

Am I allowed to say I really couldn’t give a toss about the paralympics…?

Of course you are, although I’m not sure why you’d bother coming on to a thread about the paralympics to tell everyone you don’t give a toss.

Really enjoyed the velodrome stuff last night.

although I’m not sure why you’d bother coming on to a thread about the paralympics to tell everyone you don’t give a toss.

Maybe he was hoping to provoke a real cliched response?!
Question was ‘why no thread’ so clearly thats Loddrick’s answer to such a question.. what’s yours?

Loving watching it. Its great to see people of mixed abilty do so well. Plus the times/achievement levels of most are way beyond what i think most able bodied people could do.

loddrik – Member
Am I allowed to say I really couldn’t give a toss about the paralympics…?

I agree. I don’t understand what the point of them is either.

I love it. Talking to some people they make it sound like a charity event which boils my piss; these athletes are every bit as good and dedicated as the able bodied ones that were so feted last month. Last night I was off to bed and then found myself 3 hours later still glued to it. Watching a man bench press 200kg is pretty good in itself; learning that on being born without legs the authorities asked his father if he’d prefer that they made sure he didn’t survive. That’s adversity, compared to having your lottery funding money cut.

I also love it because of the Last Leg. Where they are allowed to say anything and where it brings into the spotlight that we don’t have to treat disabled people any differently because they’re far ‘nastier’ to each other than we ever would be!

So in that vein – I find the swimming amazing, particularly the short events. Where people are grouped according to ability rather than (nature of) their disability. And you get amazing races where someone with no arms but strong legs can lead by 5 yards at half way because – well basically they’re ***ing amazing at the dive and glide bit. But then someone comes from mid pack because they’re shit at diving ‘cos they’ve only got one leg but by **** their arms are strong. And it come down to a photo finish between someone of reduced stature reaching for the line (not a strong point again) vs the one legged vs someone swimming headlong into the wall.

It’s like the best handicap system ever invented 😉

That’s what I don’t like about it. It’s contrived to try and make disabilities the same which is never going to work. I dont like thst some of the athletes compete in the able bodied events for 3 years and 50 weeks, but then dont do the able bodied games but the para version, presumably because they are more likely to make the team and win medals. They shouldn’t be able to have it both ways

I agree they train and work as hard as any other athlete which deserves respect and admiration.

We were in the stadium in London when Richard Whitehead won his gold. Closest I’ve seen my disabled wife come to tears at sport. He was very friendly when I met him in Sainsbury’s a few weeks later.

Far more emotional was the standing ovation for the runner who finished 2 laps behind in the 1500m.

And the following week seeing the reaction of the public when a German wheelchair athlete in the Olympic park let a young British lad in a wheelchair have his photo taken wearing her medal.

The guys winning medals are the tip of an incredible iceberg.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/no-paralympic-thread 😉

I can’t understand the lack of interest shown on here, there have been some amazing performances, utterly awe inspiring athletes and of course plenty of medals for team GB!

Not sure how anyone can fail to be inspired by some of these athletes. Me and the missus were shouting at the TV last night watching 15 year old Ellie Robinson swim to victory.

Lol @ houns – I did at least throw in a controversial comment to start mine off. It still seems strange to me that an able bodied bloke can win a Paralympic medal in a women’s event, when he’s a bit of an also ran in able bodied sport and has only been training for the event for 6 months.

While he probably won’t count it as an award in its own right, I don’t think it has to be denigrated. I accept it’s a tough task, you train to match your pace and stride pattern rather than just run alongside, and clearly you need the ability as well.

The one I was wondering about was the sighted pilot of a blind rider’s tandem, where you don’t particularly pilot it beyond following the line (not like tactics / manoeuvering as such play a part) but you do definitely contribute to the power input. Where you could definitely run the event on static bikes and battle it out by the power of their legs alone?

Well let’s face it, those of us with fully functioning bodies can sit here being critical or even pointing out some of the genuine issues around classification. However for those out there giving it their best, good on them. I’m really enjoying it all whatever country they are from (do want those from UK to win though). So what if it ain’t perfect, one slip on a ride out and anyone of us could looking to compete in Tokyo. Given some of the interviews with coaches, parents and athletes you have got to give them full respect.

It would seem that they sold more tickets for yesterday in the Olympic Park than a single day when the able bodied events were one.

I think they’re all properly inspirational. It’s great to watch.

It is inspirational – really getting into it now in a way I hadn’t expected to. So pleased it’s being successful given all the worries in advance. Some things able bodied sport could take inspiration from – I like the mixed rowing event and wonder why most sport has to be single sex when mixed crews for events like that seems such an inclusive thing which would translate well to grassroots level (I do occasionally see mixed rowing crews – and indeed have kayaked with women in doubles – but it’s a rarer thing than it could be).

1. Can the wheelchair racers choose the size of the ring they use to turn the wheels, to effectively choose a gear ratio to suit their own style?

2. That Australian guy’s chrome helmet is freaking awesome.. you can see a fisheye reflection of the track ahead in it. Fantastic.

How come the double amputee blade runners start so poorly, and how fast would they be if they started as fast as the single amputees?

Its to do with them bending legs to make a shorter lever (think easier gear to get started) but the fully rigid above knee prosthetics are harder to get going.

Weve watched more of the paralympics than the regular olympics. Not sure why though.

I’ve just read about the Iranian cyclist 🙁 That’s terrible news RIP. The paralympics is amazing as it shows what we can do as humans (makes me feel soft about my own injury).

I found it odd that so many of the wheelchair athletes were wearing non aero kit, especially helmets. Seems a daft choice.

I do think the tandem thing is odd, what’s to stop them just dropping brad on to a team? Itd make more sense if they had the stoker with the drivers in then a ‘cox’ doing the steering.

How come the double amputee blade runners start so poorly, and how fast would they be if they started as fast as the single amputees?

To get going you need the push from the straightening of legs, knees, etc, and if you watch a an able bodied sprinter the first portion is run very much at a decreasing angle (they start nearly horizontal, through 45deg to eventually get upright) An amputee sprinter has to get upright almost immediately, and an above knee amputee even more so, with no knees of ankles to push with. Imagine how an above knee amputee would ride a bike, as an example (they couldn’t)

Once going, they then rely on building momentum before there’s enough impact forces to get the blades flexing and rebounding. Where they’re springs it’s basically kinetic energy to rebound energy and the balance has to be found so they perform properly at speed while not being too stiff to get going.

Fascinating stuff, particularly needing to legislate effectively so that athletes don’t become rocket propelled.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanics_of_Oscar_Pistorius%27_running_blades

as one poster above said, it is a little contrived. i remeber posting something similar during the 2012 Paralympics and got flamed for it.

so many categories (which makes sense given the number of varying disabilities out there) seems to devalue the events, IMO.

and there are some people who could compete equally well with able bodied people… e.g. Sarah Storey.

that is not to say that many of the participants are impressive and their stories inspirational.

Why are they run separately to the ‘main’ Olympics, though?

I think you should have, say, the 100m events for people with no disabilities, immediately followed by those with disabilities, so that all athletes take part in the same Olympics: in parallel, as the name implies.

(I don’t mean they should race against each other, obviously – just that the ‘parallel Olympics’ should be part of the main event, not something that risks feeling like an afterthought.)

It’s no more contrived than weight categories in certain sports.

And the thing is the para athletes don’t compete on an equal to able bodied, some compete with able bodied athletes but they will be at a disadvantage which makes the performance of someone like Sarah Storey or Natalie Du Toit all the more impressive.

just that the ‘parallel Olympics’ should be part of the main event,

They did this at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. iirc, and I have to say the Para Games side of it got totally swamped and overlooked. Good idea in principle, delivery needs rethinking.

Having been to London 2012 Paralympics for two days, the atmosphere was truly amazing, maybe those athletes might prefer their separate Games?

#isitok

Also, think about logistics. How big would the athletes village be, how many more support staff would be needed, how long would the games run?
Dame Sarah Storey spoke about all that she asked that very question.

Northwind – Member

Don’t know if she’s still on here these days but STWist Anne Dickins is representing the UK in the paracanoeing- we rode with her at A Quick Release a few years back before her injury, she was part of a winning mixed pair at Relentless and 4th at the world solo 24s… she’d never even sat in a canoe, now she’s world champion. Pretty crazy and inspiring stuff. And I feel less bad that she kicked my arse up every climb

Gold btw.

Congratulations to her

maybe those athletes might prefer their separate Games?

A (vaguely) “disabled” mate down the pub said the same thing. I couldn’t see his point at the time, but I can see that I’m an undisabled person pontificating on what would be better for “them”, which I have no right or qualification to do.

How big would the athletes village be, how many more support staff would be needed, how long would the games run?

Hadn’t considered the village – it would probably be a bit insane, wouldn’t it?