Filipino Paralympians Preparing For London Olympics
February 11, 2012
Two para athletes battling it out in the recently-concluded Summit Run for Pinoy Glory, a race to support Olympians and Paralympians competing in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
As February 11 marks 200 days to go until the Paralympic Games, British Ambassador Stephen Lillie expressed his excitement in welcoming Filipino Paralympians to London in August.
"We are delighted to welcome Paralympic athletes from all over the world, including the Philippines. These athletes will experience the most inclusive and accessible Games ever when they compete in London. All the Games venues have been designed in consultation with differently-abled people to ensure they are accessible for all," Lillie said.
The British Embassy?s Deputy Ambassador Trevor Lewis is shown congratulating Jericho Pe?a of PhilSPADA-NPC, who grabbed the top spot in the Men?s Wheelchair Category during the recently-concluded Summit Run for Pinoy Glory, a race to support Olympians and Paralympians competing in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games?
"I have personally met some of the Filipino Paralympians, including bronze Paralympic medalist Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, and they are shining examples of how differently-abled people can lead independent, productive lives and become respected members of their community," added Lillie.
"What makes the London 2012 Games particularly special is that Paralympics are returning to the country that established what was later recognized as the Paralympic movement. The growth of the Paralympic movement over the last 50 years has been phenomenal and this year in London almost 4,200 athletes will compete in 20 sports in 15 different venues. And we expect 2 million people will come to watch the events."
PhilSPADA-NPC Chairman Mike Barredo and British Ambassador Stephen Lillie?
For their part, the Filipino Paralympic aspirants are preparing to pit themselves against the best in the world by undergoing an elite training programme and competing in international events.
Most recently, PhilSPADA-National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines (PhilSPADA-NPC) fielded two cyclists for the 1st Asia Para Cycling Championships Road 2012 held in Malaysia on 6 and 7 February, both of whom brought glory to their country by winning three medals. Arthus Bucay?grabbed the top spot in the Road Race Men's Class C2 and C3, earning two gold medals while Godfrey Taberna bagged a silver medal in the Rod Race Men's Class C4.
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Para athletes battling it out in the recently-concluded Summit Run for Pinoy Glory, a race to support Olympians and Paralympians competing in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
PhilSPADA-NPC Chairman Michael Barredo is looking forward to their athletes competing at the highest possible level. He expects 4 to 8 athletes to qualify for the Games in August, and is optimistic about the Philippines' chances to win a gold medal. "We are aspiring to have our first gold medal for our Paralympians. I think our cyclists and our power lifters have a good chance of getting a medal, although it's very difficult to predict. The Paralympics is the highest level of competition for athletes with disabilities. The goal is certainly elusive but it's something for our athletes to work hard for," he said.
The athletes are raring to compete in London, which spells a homecoming of sorts for the Paralympics. "We're looking forward to going where the roots of Paralympic Games did come about. That was more than 60 years ago. Knowing how the Brits run these kinds of games, I can expect it to be so professional, so high-level yet when British humour is added to the mix, that's when it really gets fun. It promises to be a very enjoyable two weeks in London," Barredo concluded.
London 2012 is the first Games where the planning and organisation of the Olympics and Paralympics have been fully integrated. Disability access has been incorporated into the design and structure of the buildings, open spaces and public transport. This includes the stadium, wider park and Live Sites, which are event spaces in urban centres offering live Games information on big screens.
Note:
????????? The London 2012 Paralympic games will be held from 29 August until 9 September, 20 Paralympic sports, 21 disciplines and 471 events, 20 competition venues, about 4,200 athletes from 163 competing nations.
????????? ?4 million will be spent on improving access on South Bank one of the most popular areas with visitors to allow disabled visitors to move between historic areas of London such as Clink Street where the notorious prison was based.
????????? London Marathon Trust has funded the design of a swimming pool lift for use by disabled swimmers at the Aquatics at the Paralympics in 2012. This innovative design will be able to be used by anyone who can't use pool steps going forward.
????????? Train platforms are being widened, buses will be low-floored and have wheelchair accessible and all river piers will have ramps. More than 8,250 London buses have been fitted with the new iBus system an automatic radio and on bus passenger display announcement system which helps the visually and hearing impaired and those unfamiliar with London. All London buses and black cabs as well as the Thames Clippers and Docklands Light Railway are fully accessible.
????????? The buses to carry athletes to the venues can accommodate six wheelchair users at anytime meaning wheelchair athletes can travel with their teammates.
????????? London 2012 will be the most compact Games ever.? Around half of the 20 sports will be held in the Olympic Park and the majority of the remainder in the River Zone.? These two zones are 15 minutes apart.? The River Zone features five venues in the Thames Gateway area which straddle the River Thames.? They are: North Greenwich Arena 1, Greenwich Park, North Greenwich Arena 2, ExCeL and the Royal Artillery Barracks.
????????? Events held outside these two zones include Paralympic Rowing (which is being held at Eton Dorney, 25 miles west of London), Paralympic Sailing which is at Weymouth and Portland and Paralympic Road Cycling which will be held in central London.
????????? Eton Manor, in the north of the Olympic Park, is a brand new sports facility that will host Paralympic Tennis.? Work began in 2010 and includes construction of 10 new tennis courts, four indoor and six outside. After the Games it will be transformed into a superb new multi-sports complex including a hockey centre, tennis centre and five-a-side football pitches.? It will create new sports facilities for athletes and the local community to enjoy.
????????? "Para" means alongside so it is parallel to the Olympic Games.
????????? The idea for the Paralympic Games came from a sports event for soldiers injured in World War II organized in 1948 by German neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire, England.?
????????? PhilSPADA-National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines (PhilSPADA-NPC) is a national sports association for people with disabilities tasked to spearhead all activities related to sports and physical fitness of Filipino persons with disability.
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