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Did you enjoy watching the Olympics in Tokyo? 🎯🎾
Well, our summer of sport isn’t over – the Paralympics are about to begin! 😃
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito is expected to open the 16th Summer Paralympic Games next week, on August 24th.
The Paralympics are the world’s top sporting event for athletes with impairments (disabilities).
400 athletes competed at the first official Paralympic Games in 1960. There will be more than 10 times that number competing this year in Tokyo! 🤩
The athletes are called Paralympians. They have different impairments, but they all share the same desire to compete and showcase their elite skills. 🏊👨🦽
This year’s Paralympics are bound to be jam-packed with epic moments, so we’ve put together a list of some Paralympians who might be able to break a world record…
T46 athletes have a single amputation below or above the elbow.
Each time Michael Roeger (Australia) has raced in a marathon, he has set a new world record! 😲
He’s competed in four marathons so far and his current record time is 2 hr 18 min 52 sec. In addition to his fastest marathon (T46, male) record, Michael also holds the world record for fastest run 1500 metres (T46, male). 🏆
This year is the first time Michael will enter the marathon event in the Paralympics. He hasn’t won a Paralympic gold before - can he change this in Tokyo? 🏃♂️
Iran’s “Dream Team” are the unquestionable kings of the court. They have the most men’s sitting volleyball Paralympic golds – 6. 👑
This year’s Games could see the return of star player Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, who at 2.46 m (8 ft 0.85 in) is the tallest male athlete to compete at a Paralympic Games ever. 🤯
Morteza led Iran to gold and glory at Rio 2016. Can the team repeat the achievement again this year?
T63 athletes have a single leg disability and they compete with a prosthesis (fake body part).
Ambra Sabatini (Italy) sprinted on to the para athletics scene in Feb 2021. 🏃♀️
Two years ago, Ambra lost her left leg in a traffic accident on her way to athletics practice. Instead of quitting running, she decided to train even harder.
At her first international event, earlier this year, she broke the T63 100 m world record! 19-year-old Ambra set a record time of 14.59 sec. ⏱️😎
Fellow Italian sprinters Monica Contrafatto and Martina Caironi will be competing alongside Ambra in Tokyo, hoping to claim one of the top 3 spots. 🥇🥈🥉
Can Ambra win gold and break her world record for the fastest run 100 metres (T63, female) in the process?
The host country’s hopes are on wheelchair tennis legend Shingo Kunieda (Japan). 🎾
Shingo won gold in 2008 and 2012, achieving the record for the most Paralympic wheelchair singles titles won (male) – 2. A gold medal in the Athens 2004 men’s doubles event completes his collection. 🥇🥇🥇
Shingo also achieved the record for most Grand Slam wheelchair tennis titles won – 45.
After a tough loss in the quarter finals of the Rio 2016 Games, Shingo will be extra motivated to win the gold medal in Tokyo.
Good luck to all the Paralympians competing in Tokyo! 🥇