Winter Paralympics

After a pretty decent opening ceremony, the games start for real in just a few hours. Bit of a kick in the teeth that the Russian/Belarussian athletes have been banned! It was inevitable I guess, but maybe harsh on a group of people, who I suspect would barely know what is going on, let alone be supporting it, Still I think the games will be a success. Good luck GB obviously.

It is the Skiing events I am looking forward to most. The skills of the sitting downhill racers is phenomenal. A word too for the sitting hockey. Not as easy as it looks I suspect, and totally uncompromising in terms of it's physicality!!

Why C4 are using ALL 4 instead of More 4 as with every other occasion, I am not sure. Still they will do decent job (as a.n other Broadcaster should be doing)

(04-03-2022 22:02 )hornball Wrote:  Bit of a kick in the teeth that the Russian/Belarussian athletes have been banned!

It was the athletes who forced that decision. The Latvian and South Korean curling teams said they wouldn't take the ice against Russia and other athletes looked set to follow. There was a very real chance that some countries would simply pack up and go home and there wouldn't have been any games at all.

(04-03-2022 22:02 )hornball Wrote:  Why C4 are using ALL 4 instead of More 4 as with every other occasion, I am not sure. Still they will do decent job (as a.n other Broadcaster should be doing)

At least they're using C4

(05-03-2022 14:36 )Doddle Wrote:  

(04-03-2022 22:02 )hornball Wrote:  Why C4 are using ALL 4 instead of More 4 as with every other occasion, I am not sure. Still they will do decent job (as a.n other Broadcaster should be doing)

At least they're using C4

TRUE!!

(05-03-2022 02:51 )tony confederate Wrote:  

(04-03-2022 22:02 )hornball Wrote:  Bit of a kick in the teeth that the Russian/Belarussian athletes have been banned!

It was the athletes who forced that decision. The Latvian and South Korean curling teams said they wouldn't take the ice against Russia and other athletes looked set to follow. There was a very real chance that some countries would simply pack up and go home and there wouldn't have been any games at all.

I realise that there was a threat of a complete no-show from other countries athletes. I feel desperately sorry, however, for the athletes of both countries as, and I know I have made this point already, they are not responsible for their president jumping of the deep - end (or coming out in support as is the case with the Belarussian nutcase), and some - due to their disabilities probably don't understand what the hell is going on with Ukraine. They do know that they have trained their asses of for one shot at glory though. I am not sure punishing them will change anything! I do get the principle stand others have taken though!

The first day of the games have been really interesting!! Downhill ski racing has been - as always - captivating. I still can't get my head around tearing down a mountain at 60+ mph, with just one ski directly underneath their butts. Kudos to them all. Also the sight impaired ski competitors - huge respect.

First time I really watched the sitting hockey the whole way through! Really enjoyable!! better than the 'able bodied' version in some ways. Should be a great 9 days ahead.

Congratulations to NEIL SIMPSON! First GB GOLD!!!! Menna Fitzpatrick for her silver too!! fantastic!!

Yes, GB's Paralympians are making the Olympians look crap. 2 more Bronzes today.

Interesting to watch the wheelchair curling, and how they can get the stone to 'curl' to where they want it within 'the house' If the sweepers in able bodied curling are so necessary, then surely the paralympians are showing greater 'skill' to achieve the same outcome without them??

(05-03-2022 18:59 )hornball Wrote:  I feel desperately sorry, however, for the athletes of both countries as, and I know I have made this point already, they are not responsible for their president jumping of the deep - end (or coming out in support as is the case with the Belarussian nutcase)

I agree they are not responsible, but you never know, they might have done something to anger everyone, like that Russian guy at the gymnastics world cup. Even though the organisers were forced into the banning decision, they probably feel quite relieved now that Russia and Belarus aren't competing.

(08-03-2022 21:27 )hornball Wrote:  Interesting to watch the wheelchair curling, and how they can get the stone to 'curl' to where they want it within 'the house' If the sweepers in able bodied curling are so necessary, then surely the paralympians are showing greater 'skill' to achieve the same outcome without them??

It is a curious distinction, but I think it just shows it's a different style than the sweepy version.