Portal:Paralympics

The Paralympics portal

The Paralympic Games, or Paralympics, are a major international multi-sport event, where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy.

There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, and they are held immediately following their respective Olympic Games. All Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

The Paralympics have grown from a small collection of British World War II veterans in 1948 to the second-largest international sport event in 2008.

The formal explanation of the term "Paralympic" is that it derives from the Greek preposition παρά, pará ("beside" or "alongside") and thus refers to a competition held in parallel with the Olympic Games. The Summer Games of 1988 held in Seoul was the first time the term "Paralympic" came into official use.

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Nine cities submitting bids to host the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Paralympics were recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Committee shortlisted five of them—London, Madrid, Moscow, New York City, and Paris—from which London eventually prevailed; it will become the first city to host the Olympic Games for a third time. The bidding process for the 2012 Olympics was considered one of the most hotly contested in the history of the IOC. Paris was seen as the front-runner for most of the campaign, but last-minute lobbying by London's supporters was one factor that led to the success of its bid. Madrid was regarded as one of the favourites, but the city did not receive enough votes to surpass Paris and London. The fact that Spain held the Olympics in 1992 was also a major detriment to Madrid's bid.

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Yip Pin Xiu (Chinese: 叶品秀; pinyin: Yè Pǐnxìu), born 1992) is a Singaporean backstroke swimmer. She has muscular dystrophy and competes in the S3 category for the physically impaired. Since 2005, she has won medals in international competitions such as the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games, Japan Paralympic Swimming Championships and International German Paralympic Swimming Championships. At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, she won a gold medal in the 50 metres backstroke and a silver medal in the 50 metres freestyle, setting world records in both events. Hence she was conferred a state medal, the Meritorious Service Medal. Her achievements contributed to public debate about the treatment and recognition of disabled athletes in Singapore.

Did you know...

• ... that Matthew Stockford won three bronze medals for Great Britain at the 1992 Winter Paralympics?
• ... that Heath Calhoun and Andy Soule, both double-leg amputees due to wounds received in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively, will represent the United States at the 2010 Winter Paralympics?
• ... that the symbol of the Paralympic Games is composed of three "agitos", colored red, blue and green?

Paralympics Task Force

• The Paralympics Task Force is a task force that helps to assemble writers and editors interested in Paralympics related articles.
• The aim of this project is to standardize and improve articles related to the Paralympics, as well as to create any missing articles.
• To become a member of this Task Force (anyone may join), simply click here - and add {{user|YourUsernameHere}}

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Host of the 2010 Winter Paralympics, Vancouver, viewed from the south with mountains behind.

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