The Official Paralympics Thread

[CJ]

So apart from Neil is there anyone else who hasn't seen the velodrome in person

[Chazza]

Wow

Pristorious beaten in the 200m

[Chazza]

Controversial stuff.

Pistorious basically saying that the Brazillian fella's blades are dodgy.

[Chazza]

David Weir

[Kenneth]

So apart from Neil is there anyone else who hasn't seen the velodrome in person

I've never been to a velodrome. Do they do dog racing there?

[ChesterDave]

Only when the Belerussian female shotputters race.

[Chazza]

Usain St. Leo Bolt @usainbolt
Paralympics Games is where you find true champions.. All magnificent athletes.. Talk about that 5000m just now.. Incredible

Usain St. Leo Bolt @usainbolt
Simply inspiring #paralympicgames2012

[Kenneth]

I'm still finding the whole thing a bit of a joke tbh. Joke is too strong, it's great in terms of personal achievement and very inspiring in that sense, but as sport it doesn't work for me. The disability categorisation is obviously necessary but the events I've seen don't look like even contests to me. It lacks the purity of 'normal' sport, i.e. it loses the notion of 'fastest man/woman', person who can throw the furthest etc.

[Vermilion]

Controversial stuff.

Pistorious basically saying that the Brazillian fella's blades are dodgy.

So many intricacies to this, just heard a presenter talking about it, and i think Pistorious may be a victim of his dual racing category, there are certain lengths a blade can be in paralympic running, but because Pistorious has campaigned to run against able bodied athletes and has been through rigorous testing for this to be allowed, it also means his blades cannot be made longer, even if 'longer' is within the range allowed for Paralympic runners.

[captainfog]

Can't get into it

[Chazza]

BBC News (UK) @BBCNews
As Chancellor George Osborne is introduced to present #Paralympic medals, most of 80,000-strong crowd boo him - says 5Live's @vicderbyshire

[captainfog]

Just watched a race, not sure what distance, but it was fairly long. Anyway, there was an Irish bloke who, on the face of it, appeared to have no disability whatsoever and while the rest of the field ran/hobbled round the track he just steamed off into the distance. He won by absolutely miles, even took the time to start waving to the crowd with 100 meters to go. Doesn't seem very fair tbh

[BobTheCharmer]

Just watched a race, not sure what distance, but it was fairly long. Anyway, there was an Irish bloke who, on the face of it, appeared to have no disability whatsoever and while the rest of the field ran/hobbled round the track he just steamed off into the distance. He won by absolutely miles, even took the time to start waving to the crowd with 100 meters to go. Doesn't seem very fair tbh

I can't get into it at all. There was a sprint race yesterday called something like ladies 100m T678300273930 and some of the athletes were standing up, some were crouching down and bang off they went. to be fair that was a good race and I don't know what disability they all had but they'd beat me hands down. Bout 14 seconds which is pretty quick. What they all do is amazing and a great show of courage. Hopefully it'll inspire other people with disabilities to achieve things in life. But it just doesn't excite me. It feels like we are being force fed the whole thing. like being told this is just like the olympics, its just the same, its great. when in reality from a sporting point of view it really isn't. For example womens football is naff, it always will be in comparison to the real thing. This feels similar. I mean no offfence and for those enjoying it, I truly appauld you. I wish I felt different.

[Redbug1]

I'm enjoying it - for one thing it's more enjoyable than endless hours on here finger pointing and predicting disaster for the season. Inspiring performances - yeah the coverage isn't as good as the BBC would have done but it's watchable at the end of a work day.
Ellie Simmonds is remarkable and the one legged high jumpers were probably the most incredible bit of sport I've ever seen. Puts our bollocks start to the season in some context. I'm really falling more out of love with football the older I get

[Boogs]

I'm enjoying it - for one thing it's more enjoyable than endless hours on here finger pointing and predicting disaster for the season. Inspiring performances - yeah the coverage isn't as good as the BBC would have done but it's watchable at the end of a work day.
Ellie Simmonds is remarkable and the one legged high jumpers were probably the most incredible bit of sport I've ever seen. Puts our bollocks start to the season in some context. I'm really falling more out of love with football the older I get

I went to the velodrome on Friday and the effort these guys put in is twice that of any able bodied person and it hits you in the face when you see it live. C4 is ****e and as someone poster earlier its all talk. It makes you realise the greed of the football players. Having said that if it was me in the same position as a prem footballer I'd want to get the best wages possible as you retire at 35.

Chazzer, have a great day tomorrow