PARALYMPIC GAMES

When World War II ended, many soldiers were left with life-changing injuries. Sir Ludwig Guttman, a doctor who treated several veterans with spinal cord injuries at his hospital in England, wanted to do something to help the patients build their strength and lift their spirits. He had the idea to create a friendly competition to help injured servicemen and women have fun while giving them something to look forward to.

On the day of the opening ceremony of the 1948 Olympics, Guttman organized
a competition for fourteen men and two women at the hospital. The competition was for people who were in wheelchairs and consisted of a single archery competition. The competition was nothing flashy, but word began to get around and people started asking when the next competition would be held. As news soon spread of the competition, Guttman realized there was not just a desire for those with different abilities to compete in athletics, but a need for it as well.

It wasn’t until a few years later that the Paralympic Games were born. Debuting in Rome in 1960, over 300 participants from 23 countries came together to show off their incredible abilities. At the time, only eight sports were included in the games: archery, athletics, dartchery (a combination of darts and archery), snooker (a game similar to billiards), swimming, table tennis, wheelchair fencing, and wheelchair basketball—all were considered safe sports for people with spinal cord injuries.

By 1976, the games grew and more athletes with different types of abilities began to compete. That year, the Paralympics also held its first Winter Games in Sweden. Back then, there were only two winter sports with 198 athletes from 16 countries. Today, the numbers have certainly increased. A new record was made in 2018 when over 500 athletes participated in the Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics, competing in 6 different events.

As the games grew, so did the number of people wanting to compete. While the games started out for veterans with spinal cord injuries, soon, people of all different backgrounds and abilities were allowed to compete. Today, people with impaired muscle power or range of motion, ataxia, vision impairment, intellectual impairment, leg length difference, and many other impairments are allowed to compete in the Paralympics.

For the past 58 years, the Paralympic Games have showcased superior athletes from around the world competing in over 25 different events. Today, events include swimming, wheelchair basketball, table tennis, skiing, archery, badminton, judo, snowboarding, rowing, and cycling, just to name a few. And, just like the Olympics, those who've competed in the Paralympics have gained much fame and notoriety. The swimmer Trischa Zorn, who was born blind, went on to win 55 medals between 1980 and 2004 for the United States. The talented Polish table tennis player Natalia Partyka, who was born without a right hand or forearm, was just 11 years old when she competed in the 2000 Paralympics and became the youngest ever Paralympian.

Today, the Paralympics is one of the most popular sporting events—with millions either glued to the television screens or sitting in the stands watching these athletes wow and amaze the world with their physical feats.