Monday, March 9, 2009
Significant Events in Paralympics1960 Rome, Italy-first Paralympic Games
-officially known as the Ninth Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games.
-The Games began six days after the closing ceremony of the XVII Olympic Summer Games.
- They were held from September 9th to September 24th.
-The opening ceremony occurred on the September 18th at the Acqua Acetosa Stadium. Camillo Giardina, Italian Minister for Public Health, declared the Games open.
-There were 5,000 people attending the ceremony, along with the 400 athletes who participated in the Games. These athletes traveled from 23 different countries to compete.
-A new disability was added to the Games and allowed athletes with spinal cord injuries to compete.
-These Games in Rome were also the first Games for the disabled held in the same venue as the able-bodied Games.
- Olympic Village was not handicapped accessible.
- athletes who were unable to access the village on their own power had to be carried up and down the stairs.
Rome paralympics parade
Rome olympics logo 1960
1964 Tokyo, Japan- opening ceremonies were held at Oda Field.
- 375 athletes competed, 307 men and 68 women.
- Wheelchair racing was added into the venue this year.
Tokyo Paralympics Torch
1964 Tokyo Olympics logo ( cant find paralympics )
1968 Tel Aviv, Israel-Events such as lawn bowling, women's basketball, and the 100 meter-wheelchair race for men were all played for the first time.
1972,Heidelberg, Germany -Games also included goalball as a demonstration sport and the 100 meter sprint for visually impaired athletes.
- first Paralympic Games to use electronic touch pads in the swimming events.
1976, Toronto , Canada-Six countries were represented in these Games
- 1,657 athletes, 253 of whom were women.
-261 amputees and 187 visually impaired athletes were included in the program as well as in several new events for the first time.
-It was also the first year where specialized racing wheelchairs were used.
-These Games were the first time they were televised.
-New events included rifle shooting and goalball.
Goalball was used as a demonstration sport in 1972, but in 1976, it became a full medal sport.
-In the wheelchair category, new distances added were: 200 meter, 400 meter, 800 meter, and 1,500 meter.
Toronto Basketball match
Goalball being introduced
1980,Arnhem , Netherlands-42 countries competing with a total of 1,973 athletes participating.
-1,055 competed in wheelchairs, 452 were amputees, 341 were considered visually impaired, and 125 were diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
-For the first time, sitting volleyball was added to the venue
- goalball was accepted as a sport for visually impaired athletes, and competitors with cerebral palsy were allowed to compete.
Arnhem paralympics games Logo
Stoke Mandeville and New York-held in two different places. Stoke Mandeville and New York
-due to the splitting of disability categories.
-Athletes grouped as amputees, les autres, vision impairment, and cerebral palsy competed in New York.
- The athletes with spinal cord injuries competed in Stoke Mandeville
- wheelchair athletes competed elsewhere.
1992 Barcelona , Spain-The 1992 Paralympics was to be the largest showcase ever
-The organizing committee of these games was concerned that the large number of Paralympic competitions would reduce the credibility of the Games.
- The committee then reduced the number of athletes with different disabilities to participate in the same events.
- Support was reinforced by the presence of Juan Antonio Samaranch, who was the president of the International Paralympic Committee. King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain attended and Mayor Pasquel Maragall was also highly supportive of the Games.
Barcelona LOGO for paralympics
1996, Alanta , USA-Some new disability categories were added, too.
-included mentally impaired, spinal cord disabilities, cerebral palsy, amputations, les autres and visual impairments.
-The 1996 Paralympic Games attracted worldwide corporate sponsorship for the first time.
-A Cultural Pyramid was also showcased at the Games. The pyramid featured works of disabled artists.
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