2022 Beijing Paralympics: Still Swifter, Higher, and Stronger -- Together!

[legaleagle53]

So is anyone watching the Paralympics? I'm watching the opening ceremony now, and the biggest news today is that Russia and Belarus have both been completely BANNED from participating due to their invasion of Ukraine. That means no "RCP" or "BPC" Paralympians are here. The IPC apologized to the athletes but told them point-blank that their leaders were to blame.

Edited March 5, 2022 by legaleagle53

[crazycatlady58]

I am watching. I feel bad for the athletes that were baned because of their country's actions but I don't see how it would be good for them to be included. 

[MaryMitch]

I watched for several hours last night. I saw a guy with one leg alpine skiing, and it was the one of the most amazing things I've ever seen!

This morning on NPR they had a guy commenting on the ban. They said the Paralympic committee changed their stand to ban Russian and Belarus athletes because of pressure from both national Paralympic committees and athletes. They actually said they were worried about conflicts between athletes in the village!

I also heard during the opening ceremony that the head of the Paralympic committee spoke against the Russian invasion (did not mention Russia by name), and the Chinese television stations censored that part of the speech.

Ukraine ended the first day at the top of the medal count!

[legaleagle53]

2 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

Ukraine ended the first day at the top of the medal count!

I can live with that. It's the perfect "FU" to Russia and Belarus!

I'll catch the daily recap on Peacock later. I understand that the US has also already struck Gold in sitting Biathlon.

[legaleagle53]

OK, does someone want to explain to me  -- as if I were five years old -- in what universe it is even remotely fair that Oksana Masters can be the first one to cross the finish line but still only get silver in cross-country skiing because of a technicality regarding the starting times? It should have been whoever crossed the finish line first. Period!

[crazycatlady58]

I don't know about the race you are talking about but I am watching tge men's long distance standing race. They said that depending on the disability the time is different.  For example a person with no arms a minute is a minute while someone with one arm who can use a pole their minute may be one minute 2 seconds while someone who can use both arms hence use 2 poles their minute may actually be counted as on minutes 4 seconds.  They are trying to make things even. So some can cross the finish line first but someone behind her could have a greater disability and win gold. This may not be what you are asking and you may be aware of this. If that is the case I apologize for telling you something you already know.

[legaleagle53]

On 3/6/2022 at 8:05 PM, crazycatlady58 said:

I don't know about the race you are talking about but I am watching tge men's long distance standing race. They said that depending on the disability the time is different.  For example a person with no arms a minute is a minute while someone with one arm who can use a pole their minute may be one minute 2 seconds while someone who can use both arms hence use 2 poles their minute may actually be counted as on minutes 4 seconds.  They are trying to make things even. So some can cross the finish line first but someone behind her could have a greater disability and win gold. This may not be what you are asking and you may be aware of this. If that is the case I apologize for telling you something you already know.

You didn't, and I didn't know. That's why I asked for an explanation.

[Raikas]

On 3/5/2022 at 11:47 PM, legaleagle53 said:

OK, does someone want to explain to me  -- as if I were five years old -- in what universe it is even remotely fair that Oksana Masters can be the first one to cross the finish line but still only get silver in cross-country skiing because of a technicality regarding the starting times? It should have been whoever crossed the finish line first. Period!

Even in the able-bodied version, biathlon and nordic skiing (aside from the sprint event & relay) have staggered starts, so some racers start 15 or more minutes behind the first. The athletes run against the clock, not directly against each other since the first person to start would otherwise have a massive advantage.

The extra element in the paralympic version is the disability classes. As an amputee, Masters is the least disabled class in sit-skiing, so the clock runs at 100% for her, versus a paraplegic (no hip movement or abdominal muscles) like Yang whose clock runs at 86%. In the VI classes, the people with some vision run at 99% versus 88% for the ones with no vision. The standing races have more classifications because there are so many different disabilities - in yesterday's men's standing race the three medalists were in three different classes, Wang (no arms) clocks at 90%, Daviet (missing one knee joint) at 93%, and Cai (missing one hand) at 96%. Standing gets additionally complicated because the clocks are different for skate-style versus classic style (essentially, the one-arm skiers are more impaired for classic, but the one-leg skiers are more impaired for skate). 

I hope that helps a bit!