Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games
 

Has anyone been following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games?

I know I haven't. That is until I saw a news article about one of our Canadian athletes -- Chantal Petitclerc. Petitclerc has just one five gold medals from Beijing to the nine gold medals she one in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens...

This is an athlete with 14 career Olympic Gold medals (not to mention her five silver and two bronze medals)

She dominates the track in racers with spinal injuries. In Beijing she won the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and the 1500m. I can't help but think of the difference in coverage between this feat and the one made by more able bodied athletes in Beijing. Sure I understand why it happens... I just don't understand why it continues to happen.

Gold 1996 Atlanta 100 m T54
Gold 1996 Atlanta 200 m T54
Gold 2000 Sydney 200 m T54
Gold 2000 Sydney 800 m T54
Gold 2004 Athens 100 m T54
Gold 2004 Athens 200 m T54
Gold 2004 Athens 400 m T54
Gold 2004 Athens 800 m T54
Gold 2004 Athens 1500 m T54
Gold 2008 Beijing 100 m T54
Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m T54
Gold 2008 Beijing 400 m T54
Gold 2008 Beijing 800 m T54
Gold 2008 Beijing 1500 m T54
Silver 1996 Atlanta 400 m T54
Silver 1996 Atlanta 800 m T54
Silver 1996 Atlanta 1500 m T54
Silver 2000 Sydney 100 m T54
Silver 2000 Sydney 400 m T54
Bronze 1992 Barcelona 100 m T54
Bronze 1992 Barcelona 200 m T54


Have a look at the Official Website... it looks like it was a great event

Yes, unfortunately there has been very little attention or focus on the Paralympics. I too am guilty of it. Aside from wheelchair rugby, which the US and Canada have a very fierce rivalry, I know little about the games. Oh, I do know one girl who is on the US wheel chair volleyball team. Apparently, she was adopted from China so there was a little news spot on her "return to the motherland". It's a shame really. I wish we cared more.

Wow... the response to this thread really says it all.

I knew these events were being underappreciated but wow.

I think the organizing committe needs to have a good strong look at their marketing and PR departments. They also need to have a look at the television deals they are cutting for the Olympics to see if they make coverage of both events a package deal (i.e. some sort of incentivization to the broadcasters).

What does everyone think?

Well, out here there was good coverage and I did actually see some of the events. Our 2nd TV channel is quite good quality and apart from playing all sorts of independent films and cultural events, debates and documentaries, they also do some extensive coverage of sports events, and the Paralympics was one of them. We have several good quality paralympic athletes and the drive they have despite their situation is astounding to me. I enjoyed watching the events but I suck at names! Portugal won 7 medals in this year's event - not bad for a relatively small country (both in size and population). None of our athletes compares to Petitclerc though! Amazing :)

Maybe the problem is our culture. I don't know if we can force the tv broadcasters to cover the Paralympics in the same depth and intensity.

I completely agree that we can't force them to cover these events at the same level but cripes... any level would be better than what we are currently seeing.

I would think that if NBC were to spend some of the money they earned from the Olympics on coverage of the Parlympics, they could provide coverage that was *at least* revenue neutral (i.e. they could sell sponsorship packages that combined the two events or just sell sponsorship seperately).

That sounds reasonable. It is a shame though, and I am just as guilty for not having much interest in it. Maybe that's the real problem. Lack of interest. Still, I would think they could run a condensed special of highlights of the games.

I think it's true that there is a general lack of interest... but interest can be built (build it and they will come).