HELP ME TO SUPPORT THE PARALYMPIC ATHLETES

PARRABUDDY.BLOGSPOT was started to help find a way for “Adaptive / Physically Challenged / Paralympic Cyclists ” to enjoy riding their bikes on the Daily Route of the famous Pro Tour Race Routes such as the “ Giro d’Italia " and the " Tour de France " !


Through lack of support i have been unable to achieve that goal and unless people decide to assist there is little chance that my 22nd season will be any more successful !


Tokyo2020 Paralympics was amazing for ALL , not just those participating but those who followed via the Media !


Since 2009 several other Blogs have been created to cover various other subjects !

Below is a guide to their separate purposes :

In the main Parrabuddy is about “Adaptive / Physically Challenged Sport” and Health Issues.


Skippi-cyclist is about personal issues and Road Safety Issues.


SkippyAus is about matters relating to Oz and some personal memories from my life there.


Tourdafarce & Tourdafrance are about matters relating to the Pro Tour , Racers and some personal experiences during my various visits to ride the Pro Tour routes .


Skippy (blogging) is about a variety of issues on the Internet .


NOT ALL postings arrive in their correct area but I will generally try to separate my views on Doping and Sporting Fraud from Road Safety Issues .



Comments ARE WELCOMED since this shows that those reading are interested in the subject matter ! Enjoy comments made to other blogs so wonder why only " anonymous " posts here !

Over the period of these "Blogs" I have had visibility on Twitter as “Skippydetour” and on Facebook as “Skippy Mc Carthy” where Google usually advise postings on the Blogs as they occur .

When any of you visit these Blogs I hope I am able to add value to your day and provide a source of information if not inspiration . Please consider asking your friends and contacts to add their support as many of the Para Athletes are struggling to find the resources to compete in Events at regional Levels let alone National Levels .


You the reader have the possibility to help these Amazing Athletes in your own way and contacting your National Paralympic Internet Site for relevant info is a good start !

Aug 10, 2012

PARA ATHLETES

Towards the end of August the Paralympic Games of 2012 will start in London . Para Athletes from all parts of the world will be there celebrating their success at being nominated to participate for their country . For these people their success has come at a price . A price the " armchair critic " is neither aware of , nor doubtlessly would be prepared to pay !

 Aussie athletes at the 2012 Olympics have taken more than a fair share of " knocking " from these windbags , that doubtlessly never were any good when they played at being athletes . So many of the Aussie contingent would not be there , had they not raided their savings and begged and borrowed from family and friends . Can you imagine any reason , why , when they have put their life on hold for multiple years , for the honour of representing their country , that they would fail to deliver of their best ? Athletes go into competition knowing that they have to give of their best . Every person has good and bad days and so it is also with Sport .

Australia has fielded well prepared teams in the past and enjoyed great success . Other countries envying this success , have chosen to attract Aussie Coaching staff to work for their athletes . Team GB has dramatically improved in recent years in Swimming and Cycling . Part of the reason is that their coaching staff contains Australian Coaches who made certain their charges succeeded in competition . Currently the French are having a swipe at Team GB 's success and when things calm down they will seek out and employ some of the current Aussie coaches to help them as they prepare for Rio 2016 !

One Gold Medal was all that Australia had won for too long and then several more arrived on the same day but not from sports which Oz was previously dominant . Having met many of the Cyclists and Rowers and seen their training facilities i am confident that they gave of their best . Losing more coaches to other countries is almost inevitable unless the Oz Government decides to pay the market rate rather than relying on " Loyalty to Country "! Athletes after they finish competition generally will have piled up debts and will thus have to look hard at their options . So many of them will have a family to support and no doubt a mortgage to deal with so they will be forced to make the hard decisions needed to live at a reasonable level of comfort for themselves and their family .

Sunday will be the closing ceremonies and by then there will be a Gold Tally which will have fallen short of  the " Expectations "! Most People do not understand that the " Olympics " are about competing , the Athletes are there to compete , Medals are the " Icing on the Cake " ! Unfairly , we all , are nationalistic and want our countries to shine on the World Stage . Had Cathy Freeman not won Gold at Sydney 2000 Olympics for any of many reasons , the media would have hounded her , blaming her for failing them ! It could have been an " Off Day " or an injury , an American ran last night in a relay with a " Broken Leg ", but the media and " armchair critics " could care less . Had Usain Bolt broken down on the 200m and failed to win , the same would be said of him , no doubt .

Athletes aspire to be the " BEST THAT THEY CAN BE " but do not participate , ONLY if guaranteed a medal .

In a few days PARALYMPIAN ATHLETES will start arriving in London for the 2012 Para Games , i hope they enjoy the experience and continue to perform as they did in training in their home countries . I would hope that they do not suffer the same difficulties that some of the Olympians suffered . Simon Whitfield as an example , came to London knowing that he may not medal . For him carrying the Canadian Flag was the highlight of his Games , since he crashed badly at the start of the Cycling section of the Triathlon . Some other Athletes suffered injury also , Manteo Mitchell of the USA 400m relay team , felt his leg go as he ran his section of the heat but continued through the pain to complete and thus ensure the team went onto the finals !

Paralympians are not as " High Profile " as their counterparts but invest just as much , if not more , in their training . There is a difference though , since , rarely they have sponsors , to cover their expenses  , so it is their family and friends that have allowed them to represent their countries !

ARMCHAIR CRITICS , beware ,  these people come in the expectation of enjoying competition NOT TO WIN the medals ! Your " yardstick " is redundant !

Australia and GB have fought for many years to be the Top Nation on the medals chart . This time , forget it , the Athletes will be there for themselves and if Medals come , so be it !

TO ALL PARALYMPIANS ! Enjoy yourselves and bring pride to your country by being the " BEST OF SPORTS " , never mind the results !












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