My hat is off to all Paralympians

Source: CCTV.com | 09-16-2008 17:05

In the ongoing Paralympics, the disabled athletes move the whole world with their optimism, courage and striving spirit. Every one may have its own feeling of being touched, now let's share some of them...

Paralympics should be renamed ´Superlympics´

Like many people, I've always seen the Olympics as the 'main' sporting event every four years- the headline act- and the Paralympics as something of an add-on- the supporting act. It you are not disabled yourself it is hard to understand some of the games and the athletes' mobility problems.

But being in the host city for these Paralympics has changed my perspective. I've come to realize these athletes are nothing short of super-heroes. Deprived of physical abilities we take for granted, they make up for them and then some; they test their senses and the boundaries of physical ability to extremes that the Bolts and Phelpses of this world will never have to.

If Usain Bolt had to undergo a double-amputation, I wonder if he would strap two carbon fiber blades to his knees like Oscar Pistorious, aka Blade Runner, of South Africa, and re-learn everything that had once come naturally. Full story >>

Paralympians: Sports change our destiny

Back in the Athens Paralympic Games, Erin Popovich has accomplished something her fellow American Michael Phelps had not done at that time -- she competed in seven events and won all the titles.

Popovich, who is 1.34 meters tall, said the charm of the Paralympics lies in the fact that the disabled people can forget their disabilities and compete whole-heartedly to see what they can achieve.

In the ongoing Paralympics, the disabled athletes move the whole world with their optimism, courage and striving spirit. From another perspective, sports and an arena like the Paralympics serve as the cure for the physical and mental recovery of the disabled people. Many of them have thus changed their destiny. Full story>>

US netizen: My hat is off to all of you !

Presently the Paralympics are in progress. I don't know how many of you have had the opportunity to watch any of the Paralympics, but I am amazed at how well the athletes with all of their disabilities are competing against one another.

I have seen a young man from Italy with no arms win gold in the backstroke in the 100 meter swimming competition, I have watched a young Chinese girl, Jiang Fuying with no arms win a bronze medal in the same category. Mr. Zhang, a man confined to a wheel chair win the gold in table tennis competition in his bracket, later his wife also won gold in her category. A beautiful young lady from Poland with one arm, won gold in table tennis and she also competed in the Olympics. The stories go on and on. Full story>>

Editor:Xiong Qu