One of the most amazing developments in the sport of this century has been the growth of the Paralympic Games. From its inception as a small event for British World War II veterans, the Stoke Mandeville Games proved to be one of the largest sporting events in the world. The first official Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960 with only six events. It included just 400 athletes from just 23 countries. This has been expanded to include athletes in more than 100 countries at the latest Paralympic Games.
The expansion continues with the addition of two new sports. The two new sports are badminton and taekwondo. There are also two sports that were excluded from the Rio Games. The two sports that were excluded were seven-football and sailing. Here are some details about the two newly added sports.
badminton
Para badminton has been an internationally contested sport since the 1990s. The first World Athletics Championships were held in Amersfoort, Netherlands, in 1998. At the Tokyo Games, athletes compete in six different classes, with 63 countries in five regions currently practicing badminton in Para.
classification
There are six categories (categories with medals) depending on the type and severity of the disability. The classes include people with physical, visual and intellectual disabilities. The six categories are WH1 (wheelchair, severe disability) WH2 (wheelchair, mild disability) SL3 (standing, mild lower extremity disability) SL4 (standing, severe lower extremity disability) SU5 (standing, upper limb disability) SH6 (standing/short stature ).
Indian platform hopes
India’s best hope for a medal in badminton is Pramod Bhagat in the SL3 category in the men’s singles. He was number one in the world and has several gold medals at the world championships in singles and doubles. It is one of India’s best hopes to win a medal in the entire Paralympic Games.
Another medal opportunity for India is with the doubles team Palak Kohli and Parul Parmar in the SL3-SU5 women’s doubles class. They are sixth in the world rankings. They are a great team as there is a 30 year age difference between the couple.
for taekwondo
The development of Kyorugi (sparring), the discipline of taekwondo for outstanding athletes, was started in 2005 by World Taekwondo, the governing body of the sport. Since 2013, poomsae (martial arts forms) have been developed as a form of competition for athletes of all disabilities. In 2009, the first WTF World Taekwondo Championships were held in Baku, Azerbaijan. At the Paralympics, athletes with limb disabilities and athletes who have had their arms amputated will compete in Kyoruji.
classification
There are two athlete classes at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. They are:
K43 Includes athletes with bilateral sub-elbow amputation or equivalent loss of function in both upper limbs
K44 Includes athletes who have had a unilateral arm amputation (or equivalent loss of function), or loss of toes affecting the ability to properly lift the heels
There are three weight classes for athletes in both classes for both genders.
Aruna Singh Tanwar made history by becoming the first barracundo from India to qualify for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. After being one of eight athletes, she qualified for a two-part class. From the village of Dinod near Bhiwani District, Aruna’s journey from a small part of Haryana to shine on the international stage is an inspiring journey of perseverance and determination against all odds.
