ELLIE'S BLOG on Living Well with Disability

Now we are beginning to see sports where the use of prosthetics are needed and are visible

 Eric Bennett of the U,S.

Lear Chuck of the U.S. 

Campbell of USA Wins Pentathelon

Standing and sitting competing in table tennis

We're are now coming to the sports that require Speed.  A prosthetic leg that will allow a man to run 100 meters under 11 seconds . A wheelchair so light and responsive that a basketball player can weave and turn through defenders with speed yet remain durable in a physical game. Or a racing chair which a marathoner will complete more than 26 miles in less than 90 minutes . The athletes below are using these technologically advanced prosthetics and wheelchairs but the skill still remains with each individual athletes to make the most of this.

Joy in achievement of goals

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By: Associated Press

Oscar Pistorius of South Africa (right) runs ahead of Ian Jones of Britain (center) and Jim Bob Bizzell of the United States during the men's 400m T44 final. Pistorius won the gold medal

Visually impaired runners work with  guide runners who are equally fast running togeather holding a tether. In field events they must have precise timing with coaches providing the verbal cues. Lucas Prado of Brazil, left, with his guide reacts after he won in the men's 100m T11 final competition

 Vlfredo Cuadrado (left) of Spain fights for the ball with Gustavo Maidana of Argentina in a five-a-side soccer match during the Paralympic Games at the Olympic Green Hockey Field

Simple Cycle

Cycle duet

Chariots of Fire

Here They Come

Accident !

Matt cott pressuring Aussie's shooter

 championship game

 US Woman's Basketball beats Germany for gold

Changes in wheelchair's for tennis players came after basketball and racing but they now have their own wheelchair designed to meet the needs of the game.The chairs are very efficient and allow easy fast push and turn.

 Forward Smash

 Serve

 back return

Esther Berger from the Netherlands is her countries best wheelchair tennis player. She had not lost a match in the Last 345 matches she has played . However she did lose her first here.But she came back to win Gold.

Bronze-medal winner France's Florence Gavelliern (right), the Netherlands' gold-medal winner Esther Vergeer (center) and silver-medal winner Korie Homan celebrate their win at the women's wheelchair tennis singles award ceremony at the 2008 Paralympic Games

nt size="5"> Quad Rugby, aka wheelchair Rugby, aka Murder ball.  Murderball is also the name and subject of a terrific documentary you can find at the library.  Oh what those quadriplegics can do!  You've got to watch them go...  (And they don't wear helmets no matter what.)

US wins gold in Wheelchair Rugby

Closing Ceremony

Artists perform at the Closing Ceremony of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest.

Of course there were great fireworks at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony.

And the torch is extinguished for another four years

The one big difference between the Paralympics and the Olympics was the overwhelming attendance at the Paralympics.  The Birds Nest and the Water Cube was filled with enthusiastic crowds, cheering on the athletes as they performed with pure joy at what they could do!