Summer Paralympics
People know what it is now. People are talking about it. People are hearing it like no other time - Darlene Hunter
image by: Australian Paralympic Committee
HWN Recommends
Tokyo 2020: how the Paralympics have evolved from rehabilitation to spectacle
In the 57 years since Tokyo first hosted the Paralympic Games, the event – and the sports it comprises - have changed beyond recognition. The Tokyo 1964 Games marked the first time the word “paralympic” was used.
At the time, the term described 21 countries represented by 378 athletes, a small minority (75) of whom were female. The events comprised nine sports, but only individuals with spinal cord injuries were eligible to compete.
As the 2020 Paralympics open, those numbers are almost incomparably larger. This year’s teams hail from approximately 160 nations. They comprise approximately 4,400 athletes, with female participants accounting for a record 40.5% of the total…
Resources
Sport-by-sport guide
Find out more about the 22 sports in which athletes will be competing for medals at the rescheduled Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
What's Happening
The latest news and comment on the Paralympic games
Paralympics haven’t decreased barriers to physical activity for most people with disabilities
Even fitness and recreation facilities that say they are accessible often lack basic accessible features, such as changing rooms, showers and clear pathways so that a person with a visual or physical impairment can easily move about. Truly accessible facilities are often underutilized. Worldwide, people with disabilities can’t get to these places because they have limited or no access to public transit services.
A Swimmer’s Journey From Afghanistan to Refugee Camps to the Paralympics
Abbas Karimi, who was born without arms, eventually made it to the U.S. and realized his dream of competing internationally.
He Had No Idea ‘Others Like Him’ Competed in Sports. Now, He’s the World No 1 Para-Badminton Athlete.
The incredible story of Pramod Bhagat, who is gunning for gold at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Paralympics to Open With Empty Stands but a Bigger Stage
The Paralympics, though, might be the rare athletic spectacle that reaches considerably higher levels of engagement during the pandemic, accelerating its momentum in a way that old-guard sports cannot.
She Was Set to Make Afghan History at the Paralympics—Until the Taliban Took Over
Zakia Khudadadi was about to become the first woman from Afghanistan to compete in the Paralympic Games. Now she is pleading for help, trapped and unable to fly out of Kabul following the U.S. withdrawal.
The Tokyo Paralympic Games Have The Most Athletes — And The Most Women — In History
Although we are still someway short of gender parity, we are heading in the right direction with the number of women competing at the Paralympics almost doubling since the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.
The Tokyo Paralympics Are Here. These Are Some Of The Sports And Athletes To Watch
The Tokyo Paralympic Games have the most athletes — and the most women — In history.
Tokyo Paralympics: how Paralympians are affected by the heat
Research has shown that those with spinal cord injuries, amputation, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy are likely to suffer the most in the heat. Once events are underway, there are a lot of things that can help: fans, misting, ice vests, iced towels, water immersion, ice slushies. Athletes make use of them, often in combination, before and after competition, as well as during cooling breaks scheduled into events.
Tokyo 2020: how the Paralympics have evolved from rehabilitation to spectacle
Shaped by evolving societal attitudes towards physical and mental impairment, the Paralympics have gone from championing rehabilitation to being the second biggest mega-event in the international sports calendar. This growth has come with international recognition and heightened media coverage. Big questions about the event’s core purpose, however, persist.
Introducing Stitches!
Your Path to Meaningful Connections in the World of Health and Medicine
Connect, Collaborate, and Engage!
Coming Soon - Stitches, the innovative chat app from the creators of HWN. Join meaningful conversations on health and medical topics. Share text, images, and videos seamlessly. Connect directly within HWN's topic pages and articles.
