The Paralympian” – the Official Magazine of the Paralympic Movement!
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OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE PARALYmpIC MOVEMENT ISSUE No. 3 | 2010 www.paralympic.org 5 0 Ye ar s PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE With a capacity of 80,000 , cheering sounds will fill Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games Aerial view reveals the Olympic Stadium of the London 2012 Paralympic Games under construction PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “As London has less than two years to go, it was really encouraging to learn that more people are taking an interest in the Games and that attitudes towards people with a disability are changing.” On behalf of the IPC, I would like to welcome all of We also have a review of “The Paralympic Ath- you to the third and final edition of The Paralym- lete” inside our magazine, an upcoming publica- pian this year. As the positive feedback continues tion which will be used to stimulate more research to come in regarding the change in magazine for- on Paralympic Sport. For the first time, a compre- mat, we hope you too continue to spread the word hensive evaluation of the athlete from several dif- about the Paralympic Movement. ferent perspectives is put together for the public, and I commend the editors Yves Vanlandewijck and We have been busy with IPC Project Reviews for Walter Thompson for their hard work! both the London 2012 Paralympic Games and the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. As London Finally, we have our feature article on the 50th has less than two years to go, it was really encourag- anniversary of the Rome 1960 Paralympic Games. ing to learn that more people are taking an in- Celebrating half a century of tremendous progress, terest in the Games and that attitudes towards we take a look at the experience of those who at- people with a disability are changing. tended the Games and what has changed over the years. Paralympic Order recipient Jean Stone is one In Sochi, I met with the Russian Deputy Prime Minis- of the contributors, and she remembers it was a sig- ter Dmitry Kozak at Government Hall where we nificant step in the Paralympic Movement. discussed the integration of people with a disabi- lity into society and the creation of a barrier-free en- In this issue we also have a special request on the vironment. It was clear that interest in the Paralym- final page which asks for your opinion on The Para- pic Movement is growing in the country following lympian. We want to produce the best possible maga- the success of the Russian team at the Vancouver zine for the Paralympic Movement, and this is your 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. chance to voice your opinion! Inside are profiles on South African athlete Natalie I hope you enjoy the last issue for 2010! du Toit and the National Paralympic Committee of the Netherlands. Du Toit talks about her inspiring Season’s Greetings! target for winning gold in all Swimming events in London, and Secretary General Rita van Driel de- tails how she hopes the Netherlands will stage the Paralympic Games in 2028. Sir Philip Craven, MBE IPC President coNTENT Enjoy this edition of “The Paralympian” – the official magazine of the Paralympic Movement! 50 YEARS – REMEMBERING ROME 06 Australian athletes, the Belgian Paralympic Committee and Paralympic Order recipient Jean Stone look back 50 years SpoRT PROFILE 10 An overview of IPC Swimming and a look at the popular sport’s European Championships next year in Berlin FUTURE GAMES 12 The London 2012 Organizing Committee recruits thousands of volunteers with the two-year countdown MEDICAL & SCIENCE 14 New book release strengthens the knowledge on Paralympic athletes, providing extensive theoretical and practical information PSTV – WHAT’S NEW ONLINE 17 The IPC’s award of ‘Athlete of the Month’ goes public on the Facebook page NPC PROFILE 18 The National Paralympic Committee of the Netherlands expresses aspirations for hosting the Games in 2028 18 www.paralympic.org ISSUE NO. 3 | 2010 06 PARTNERS & PATRONS 20 Athletes from Belgium Information graphics from Gold Patron Allianz consolidates were a strong contingent facts and figures on various Paralympic sports at the Rome 1960 Games. EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT 22 Rome was one of the first activities of the Belgian The IPC Academy illustrates how it is working to improve Sports Federation for the educational standards within sport and the Paralympic Movement Disabled (BSFD). AThlETE PROFILE 26 South Africa’s Natalie du Toit aims to compete in all Swimming events at the London Games NEWS IN SpoRT 28 Fierce competition at the World Wheelchair Rugby and IFDS 2.4 Metre Sailing World Championships PICKING THE VAULT 32 1976: Toronto Summer and Ornskoldsvik Paralympic Winter Games PARAlympIC MovEMENT 34 Magazine Survey: To make our magazine better, we need you! 20 06 50 YEARs – REMEmbERING RomE “The competition was at the time terrific. But when you think of what they do today, it wasn’t the same. You had to be in more than one sport to participate in the Games. It was so different than today where ath- letes focus on one sport.” (Daphne Hilton, Australian athlete) 50 YEARs – REMEmbERING RomE 07 he 50 years that have passed for Rome, they did have a team manager and Australia won 10 medals at the Rome Games, since the Rome 1960 Para- medical backup and that normally the man- including three gold. lympic Games represent a ager was the team doctor. timeline that is continually Rome Inspires Belgium Committee referenced in the Paralym- “It was a really big effort because they (med- pic Movement. Held from 18-25 Septem- ical team) didn’t know how we were going to Archivist for the Belgian Paralympic Com- ber, 400 athletes from 23 countries com- travel – we didn’t know how we were going to mittee Mark De Meyer said that Rome was peted in eight sport events. travel either,” Coombs said. one of the first activities of the Belgian The impact however of that SpoRTS IN Sports Federation for the Disabled (BSFD), first milestone in the Italian RomE The team ended up flying to and that during the Games the “Interna- capital is still discussed as a Perth, and then on to Singa- tional Stoke Mandeville Games Commit- living memory in the circles pore before arriving in Rome. tee” was founded. of those who experienced it 1. Archery 2. Athletics first hand. 3. Dartchery Hilton said that most athletes “This structured committee meant an im- 4. Snooker at that time were constantly portant step forward for the organization Australian Athletes 5. Swimming multi-tasking in their training of future Games and for the development 6. Table Tennis and competition. of international relations,” he said. 7. Wheelchair Basketball Daphne Hilton was one of the 8. Wheelchair Fencing athletes in Rome who was in- “You had to be in more than Later developing into the National Para- terviewed by the Australian one sport to participate in the lympic Committee of Belgium, President of Paralympic Committee about the inaugural Games,” she said. “It was so different than to- the BSFD Victor Boin was also the Presi- event. The interview is part of a joint project day where athletes focus on one sport.” dent of Belgium’s National Olympic Com- between the National Library of Australia and mittee. Mr. Boin had initiated sport for the Australian Centre for Paralympic Stud- Regarding equipment, Coombs said that ath- people with a disability in Belgium in 1954 ies to raise awareness about the Paralym- letes did not have more than one wheelchair. with medical doctors Pierre Houssa and pic Movement. Albert Tricot. “The one you were living in was the same one “The Olympic pool was absolutely fantastic, you were using in the sport,” he said. “What Mr. De Meyer said that in the lead up to the we used the same facilities,” Hilton said. “The they did in those days, they were all quarter- Rome Games, special circumstances re- competition was at the time terrific. But when inch pipe, steel pipe. But not anymore. Chairs lated to the transportation of the country’s you think of what they do today, it wasn’t the of today are of carbon fibre worth six to seven athletes to the Italian city created a lot of same.” thousand Australian dollars. Most of the new attention within Belgium. chairs are of alloy. And this one I am sitting Many of the athletes from Australia were trav- in now is not a Wheelchair Basketball chair, “Initial planning was to organize the trans- elling overseas for the first time, and had to but just an everyday chair. It weighs 16 or 17 portation by military planes,” he said. “It prepare for the flight. kilos, whereas the old heavyweights (I used was finally decided to transport the ath- to have) were closer to 40 kilos.” letes with the civil airline company Sa- “It was very exciting, very long,” she said. bena, which resulted in a late arrival at “But as I say, we all took it in and enjoyed it.” As far as other differences, Coombs said that the Games. The Belgian Team arrived in the professionalism has changed. Today’s Rome during the Opening Ceremony of the Another athlete on the Aussie roster has his elite Wheelchair Basketball athletes take ice Games.” name on the street “Kevin Coombs Avenue” baths after a match, whereas he and his team- at the Sydney Olympic Park. Coombs said that mates had a few iced beers. 08 50 YEARs – REMEmbERING RomE Great Britain took six medals in the Women’s Archery competition in Rome Impressions of the Games Because of this, Founder of the Paralympic Movement Sir Ludwig Guttmann issued an official response in a report.