Try Try again

Hello, dear readers!

The game’s afoot!

Well, the games are anyway, although given the nature of these particular games, I’m not sure ‘afoot’ is the right way of putting it.

I am, of course, referring to the Paralympic games, and so far, what a games they have been.

Mark My Words

I think it’s a mark (not me) of the times that the Paralympics (and that’s Para for Parallel, by the way), although shown on a different channel, are becoming as much of a televised event as the ‘normal’ Olympics (makes you shudder read like that, don’t it?). Channel 4 have in fact done a tremendous job (in my opinion), with extensive coverage of numerous events as well as a daily catch up show that I occasionally rise from my pit in time to enjoy with my morning jug of coffee.

And what a gold rush there’s been to enjoy! As of the time of writing, Great Britain stands third in the medal table, just two medals behind the Russian Paralympic Committee, which is basically Russia but without an anthem or a flag so they can get around being banned for doping. Russia (or at least athletes from Russia, but not Russia itself because… Well, you get it) is a pretty big place, so there is that to bear in mind. Not a Russian bear, mind you. No, definitely not that.

Running The Numbers

Of course there is one more country in front of us, but if Russia is significantly bigger than than Great Britain, then China is massive. There are an estimated 83 million disabled people living in The People’s Republic. Compared to the U.K.’s total population of just over 68 million, I’m sure you can see the disparity.

Anyway, enough excuses. China have absolutely smashed it, with a medal count of 68 golds, 43 silvers, and 36 bronze medals compared to Great Britain’s 30, 24, and 32. That’s a grand total of 147 to 86. Not too bad for the little guy, eh?

Possibly the highlight (so far) of the games has been the Wheelchair Rugby. It truly is a wonderful spectator sport, with spills, thrills, and the wheels of upturned wheelchairs spinning forlornly while the user waits there like a particularly unfortunate turtle for a man with a mat to get them back on all four wheels

This was one of the reasons that at half-past ten on Sunday morning both myself and my darling wife, Tina, found ourselves snuggled on the coach ready to cheer our boys and girls (it’s a mixed-gender sport) on in the final.

A Little Knowledge

Now it’s fair to say that neither myself, nor Tina were 100% au fait with the intricacies of the rules of Wheelchair Rugby, but,as the game went on, the excellent and very knowledgeable commentators filled us in with what we needed to know. 

The fact that Great Britain did the unprecedented and came away with the first gold medal this country has ever won in the sport and the fast scoring, back-and-forth nature of the sport would have made a thrilling watch in any case, but having a full understanding of just how long a player can hold on to the ball before bouncing it, how long a team has to progress the ball past the half-way line, and how long they have to cross which part of the tryline before possession is lost, made it even more so. If you’re interested, the rues are here.

Since then, there has been a campaign, started by the excellent Last Leg (channel 4, 10pm, extremely entertaining viewing) for the sport to get more of a regular showing. By the response to the Twitter hashtag the show started (#IWouldWatchWheelchairRugby), there seems to be a market for it, even if it is just fans of Robot Wars wanting to see some wheelchair on wheelchair violence. For my part, i know I would be tuning in should some kind of national league programme be scheduled. If there was a Leeds team, well then I might even buy a scarf.

As for the playing side of things, well no, that’s not for me. I’m not of a sporty disposition apart from the armchair side of things, and I value my health and my extremities too much to risk them in such an intricate, tactical, and supremely violent game.

They don’t call it Murderball for nothing

Until next week.