The Paralympics came to a rousing end yesterday. For the first time the official title was the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It was difficult to find much coverage, but if you did, you would have found it to be just as thrilling and inspiring as the other Olympics.
The national broadcaster here didn't make a big effort to have the events available on television which, I think, was a mistake. Afterall, if millions of people who would not normally watch sporting events watched the Olympics, simply because it was THE OLYMPICS, then why would we not watch the Paralympics for the same reason. Add in a few background stories of the athletes (which they did to tease us during the Olympic coverage) and some detailed information on the skills and techniques needed for each event and the ever amazing technology that helps guide these athletes in their sport. I think people would watch. And be thrilled.
There was an outcry when CTV did not plan to broadcast the Opening Ceremonies, so they relented and made it available only to parts of British Columbia. An even larger outcry ensued and later, a seriously edited version was broadcast the following night for the rest of Canada. Now, they have realized there is lots of interest and made the Closing Ceremonies live on tv
This has been more exposure than ever before, and sadly, it does not look as if Sochi will continue the trend in 2014.
A big congratulations to all these elite athletes.
Here is but a brief sampling of some of the Paralympians from around the world.
Cameron Rahles-Rabhula - Australian Skier - Bronze in Super G
Anna Turney from Great Britain came in 5th
barely 4 years after becoming paralyzed in a snowboarding accident
The Norwegian curlers continue the new tradition of the loud pants
but Canada still won this rink and the GOLD
Yoshiro Nitto wins Japan's first and second ever GOLD
(all pictures from the internet)
MondayAMuse will return to its regularly scheduled spot next week.
MondayAMuse will return to its regularly scheduled spot next week.
hi,I was in Vancouver the other day abd I heard absolutely nothing of the paraolympics. I believe that there definately should have been more media coverage. It is absolutely amazing what some of these athletes have accomplished and how hard they have to work at it, There was not the continued support from fans. I am not saying all...still very dissapointing. sorry I rambled on and on.
ReplyDeleteThese athletes do amazing things with amazing technology and are as exciting to watch, if not more, as the other Olympians. It seems we are still not comfortable with people with a handicap and do not see them as worthy participants of all that we do too. There was no coverage in the Netherlands. I feel very much ashamed of us.
ReplyDeleteCinner: oh ramble on, this is worth rambling on about. It does seem as if these games were almost forgotte., And really, why wait so long after the Olympics ended to stage them, after all the journos and visitors have gone home?
ReplyDeleteNora: I tried to find a picture of a Dutch athlete to include here, but could only find images of summer games athletes. I don't think broadcasters should be forced to show these Paralympic games, but maybe a certain number of hours could be made mandatory in order to get the contract for the Olympics in order to get some advancement in coverage.
ReplyDeleteSo inspiring!! More coverage would be good. need to get advertising sponsors to line up. I agree too that they should follow the Olympics while people are in the mood!
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
I didn't know this was going on!! What wonderful achievements recorded here! Bravo to these athletes!
ReplyDeleteWow ... what amazing photos. I had no clue this was happening but I plan to watch for it in the future. Thanks for sharing ;-)
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings,
I think you are so right about this. I wasn't aware of it at all....! And we have so very many Channels here in the US it might have been on....This is a truly inspiring "happening".....So sad that it is not publicized the way it should be....
ReplyDeleteLOVE all the pictures you shared....!
Thanks for sharing this with us. I am disappointed that Canada didn't also win this ice hockey gold!
ReplyDeleteSueAnn: it shouldn't take that long to get the other athletes out of the village to let the next crew in, with time for practicing.
ReplyDeleteSusan: and YOU won the hockey gold this time!
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine hurtling down those slopes with no, or limited, sight. These guys are amazing.
HRG: I hope there will be broadcasts of the Paralympics from London and Sochi - though for us in NA the time difference will be an issue (again).
ReplyDeleteNaomi: I know, I also tried NBC and found nothing. Though we had about 9 channels and I had difficulty finding anything - until the final weekend when suddenly "highlights" appeared.
ReplyDeleteLGS: yes, they were disappointed in not getting a hat-trick, too! it was a shocking loss to Japan.
ReplyDeleteThere's something WRONG with the media -some people should write them a letter! "Wrong" in that they don't realize that to do the Olympics with a handicap is much harder than without one!
ReplyDeleteNot only that, it looks as if their own prejudice about what is news and what isn't shines through, otherwise there would not have been an outcry.
Jeannette: oh many letters have been written - both complaining about the lack of tv coverage and commending the little print media coverage there was. There has been a successful campaign to get people to see these Paralympians as "elite athletes", not "disabled athletes".
ReplyDeleteI think the public gets the importance more than the people inside the media do. Otherwise, the CBC would have continued with the updates four minutes to the hour they did with the Olympics. I always looked forward to those, but even that went by the wayside.
It is a slow process...
It's very impressive, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteSAW: the technology that is available to enable someone with shortened limbs to ski or skate blows me away. and the things that can be done with a wheelchair... unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteI hope this encourages more sports for both the able-bodied and disabled.
These photos are great, and the participants so inspiring. I don't think there was much coverage here, but, although I am Australian, I don't follow much sport, so was not looking out for it.
ReplyDeletePersiflage: an Australian not into sport???
ReplyDeleteNeither am I, actually, until the Olympics and the World Cup. and to a lesser extent the Kentucky Derby and Queens Plate.
I remember watching a skiier in a wheel chair and a couple of blind skiiers last time I skiied. I was amazed by all of them.
ReplyDelete