What do you know about the Paralympic Games. Famous Paralympians of Russia

Recent events in the world of sports have shown that our Paralympic team is the strongest in the world. At the last Paralympic Games, our athletes had no equal. In addition, it should be noted that in recent decades, the attitude towards people with disabilities in Russia has begun to change noticeably in better side. More and more attention is being paid to this category of citizens by society and the state in order to gradually provide them with a decent standard of living and equal opportunities with everyone. In particular, adaptive sports are actively developing. In recent years, the number of sports and sports events has grown significantly, in which Active participation are taken by disabled athletes, sometimes demonstrating simply fantastic results. This is due to the fact that gradually the disabled people have more and more opportunities to realize their potential in the field of sports, the list of sports available to them is constantly expanding.

According to the latest data, more than 10 million people with disabilities currently live in our country. Moreover, a significant part are children with various diseases and disorders. There are statistics on the number of disabled people involved in physical culture and sports. Thus, in 2004 this figure was only 1.5%. In 2007 - already 3%. As you know, since 2006, the Federal Target Program for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports in the Russian Federation began to work until 2015. In addition to the construction of a significant number of sports facilities, the program also involves the creation of opportunities for visiting sports sections disabled people, holding various sports events, festivals, rallies, health days, sports days, championships different levels. Thanks to the program, it is now mandatory for all sports facilities to be adapted for the disabled: they must be equipped with ramps, elevators or lifts, changing rooms and toilets for the disabled. Wheelchair users should be provided with seats in the stands.

The government program has had an effect: since 2006, the number of disabled athletes has been gradually growing. The ideologists of the doctrine of sports development in Russia until 2015 do not hide their ambitious plans. They expect by the time the program is completed to reach a figure of 16% for people with disabilities involved in sports.

Already, more than 200,000 people are involved in Paralympic sports in Russia. Recently, more than 1,200 sports and health clubs have been created for people with limited physical activity (and a few years ago there were less than 200). Moreover, for Paralympic athletes, a single calendar plan of competitions is annually approved (for all categories of disabled people).

To a large extent, the successful performance of our Paralympic athletes is facilitated by the introduction the latest techniques training and international experience. And in Russia itself, there are more and more benefits for future specialists in the field of adaptive physical culture and rehabilitation. Dissertations on this topic are being defended.

The Paralympic movement in our country has been observed for almost 20 years. Our athletes first took part in the Paralympic Games in 1988 in Seoul. However, it was not until 1997 that the Paralympic Committee was officially established. Also, a fixed amount is included in the state budget as a separate line for the preparation of Russian athletes with disabilities for competitions, the main of which, of course, are the Paralympic Games.

The Paralympics are the Olympic Games for people with handicapped. The prefix "Pair" is of Latin origin and means "joined". That is, the Paralympic Games are held together with the Olympic Games. There are summer and winter. Held every four years.

The Paralympic movement has existed in the world for more than a hundred years. Already in the 18th century, the first statements of physical activity doctors are found as the most important factor and conditions for the rehabilitation of the disabled. In 1888, the first sports club for people with hearing impairments opened in Berlin, and in 1924 the first Olympic Games for such athletes were held.

The first Games for the Disabled were held in 1948 at Stoke Mandeville. However, the official start date for the Summer Paralympic Games was 1960 (in 1960 in Rome, a few weeks after the end of the XVII Olympic Games, International competitions for the disabled were held; 400 athletes from 23 countries took part in them). Winter Games began to be held much later, only since 1976, 250 people from 14 countries took part in them. The scheme for holding the modern Paralympic Games (two weeks after the Olympics and in the same country) has existed since 1988.

In the middle of the last century, the English neurosurgeon Ludwig Guttman founded a center for the treatment of spinal injuries in Aylesbury and introduced mandatory physical exercises into the rehabilitation process of soldiers. In 1948, he organized an archery competition in Stoke Mandeville Hospital in wheelchairs. Veterans of the Second World War with spinal cord injuries took part in the competition. There is evidence that the day of the competition coincided with the opening day of the Olympic Games in London and fell on August 28.

Over time, the ideas of Ludwig Guttmann were picked up by his colleagues from other countries. Gradually, the initiative of a single person turned into a worldwide sports movement for people with disabilities. In 1956, Ludwig Guttmann developed an athlete's charter, formed the foundations on which the sport of the disabled developed in the future. "The goal of the Stoke Mandeville Games," wrote Ludwig Guttmann, "is to unite paralyzed men and women from all parts of the world in the international Paralympic movement, and let sport inspire hope, cheer up thousands of paralyzed people." It is symbolic that during the Olympic Games in Melbourne (Australia), the Stoke Mandeville Games were awarded the Fearnley Cup. This honorary award is given to an organization that has achieved significant success in promoting the Olympic Movement.

In 1966, the Paralympic Committee included in the list of athletes with mental disabilities.

In 1976, in Toronto, other disability groups were added and the idea of ​​bringing together the different disability groups for international sporting events was born. In the same year, the first Winter Paralympic Games were already held in Sweden.

1988 at the international games in Seoul ( South Korea) athletes with disabilities received the right to access the sports facilities of the host city. Since that time, the Games have received the status of "Paralympic".

The red, blue and green hemispheres, which symbolize the mind, body, unbroken spirit, have become a graphic symbol of the world Paralympic movement. Until 2000, the Paralympic Games were held six times in the same cities and three times in the same countries as the Olympic Games. In 1982, a body appeared that contributed to the expansion of the Paralympic Games - the International Coordinating Committee World Organization sports for the disabled. Ten years later, in 1992, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) became its successor.

Now the International Paralympic Committee includes more than 160 countries. The IPC is headquartered in Bonn, Germany.

On June 19, 2001, an agreement was signed between the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee to ensure the organization of the Paralympic Games. The agreement strengthened the provision that the Paralympic Games, starting in 2008, would always take place shortly after the Olympic Games, using the same sports grounds and venues.

The Paralympic Games have received worldwide recognition. People around the world have recognized not only the significance of the sporting event itself, but also the importance of the sporting component in the lives of people with disabilities. The results of Paralympic athletes are so impressive that those who have achieved such results are increasingly referred to as "people with unlimited abilities." Often the records of these athletes are close to the Olympic ones. The list of types of competitions for Paralympic athletes is constantly expanding. It currently includes:

Summer sports

1. Weightlifting (powerlifting);

2. Athletics;

3. Archery;

4. Swimming;

6. Cycling;

7. Wheelchair tennis;

8. Fencing;

9. Football 7x7;

10. Football 5x5;

11. Wheelchair basketball;

12. Dressage;

13. Shooting;

14. Volleyball;

15. Wheelchair rugby;

16. Dancing in wheelchairs;

17. Gunball;

18. Table tennis;

19. Rowing;

20. Sailing.

Winter sports

1. Cross-country skiing and biathlon;

2. Alpine skiing;

3. Ice hockey;

4. Curling.

The first Winter Paralympic Games in the form in which they exist now took place in 1976 in Ornskoldsvik (Sweden). Competitions for athletes with amputated limbs and visual impairment were organized on the track and in the field. For the first time, sled racing competitions were demonstrated. The success of the first Winter Games made it possible to organize the second Paralympic competitions in 1980 in Geilo (Norway). Athletes of all disability groups took part in the Paralympic starts. The III Winter Paralympic Games were held in Innsbruck (Austria) in 1984.

For a long time already in the world of big sport there is such a direction as the Paralympic movement. It appeared in 1976. People with disabilities could prove not only to themselves, but also to those around them their will, endurance, strong body and faith in victory not only in competitions, but also over themselves.

Paralympic athletes of Russia proved to the whole world that they are great athletes. This was confirmed by numerous victories, cups and gold medals brought from different parts of the globe.

In the article we will tell you who they are, the most outstanding Russian Paralympic athletes, how their life turned out and what they were able to achieve.

Lebedinsky Andrey

The athlete was born in the city of Khabarovsk. The little boy was born in 1963. Already from childhood, he was fond of shooting, loved to hunt with his father, who often went to the forest to shoot wild animals. It was he who gave his son his first master class.

At the age of fourteen, Andrei was sent to a special shooting section. He skillfully demonstrated the acquired skills and surprised with his talent, dexterity and accuracy.

At the age of 15, the boy became a candidate, and at 17, Andrei Lebedinsky became an honored master of shooting.

And in 1984, a tragedy occurs, Andrei is left without a leg. It took a whole year to be treated and undergo the necessary procedures for recovery. There was not enough money to pay medical bills, so Lebedinsky sells all his expensive equipment.

Time passed and the doctors allowed young man do what you love again.

As part of the Olympic team, he found himself in 1996 and at the very first performance he managed to bring the country three medals at once. Two of them were gold and one was bronze.

Faith in victory

Andrey Lebedinsky, like other Paralympic athletes, always believed in his victory and excelled huge force will, incredible courage and assertiveness. He could tirelessly train, forgetting about sleep and food. And every Paralympian went through an incredibly difficult path from the first training to victory.

The winner constantly, all 365 days a year, aimed, shot and did not notice when the nights and days pass. As a result, the victory became his rightful reward for his labors and efforts. Andrey won two gold medals at the Sydney Olympics.

On this moment the athlete lives in his native Khabarovsk, where he works as a coach for children. Prepares future champions of the country from them.

Albert Bakaev

The successful Paralympian hails from Southern Urals. In the city of Chelyabinsk, he began training, regularly visited the local pool, and actively swam.

At the age of seven, he made his first successes in this field, and at fifteen he achieved a high level, becoming a master of sports. It was a great achievement at such a young age.

But in 1984 everything changed. Bakaev in training damages the spine. Doctors are powerless and unable to help the guy, he is threatened with complete paralysis.

Many thought that this was the end of Albert's career, and he would forever remain bedridden. But they were wrong. Willpower did wonders. Bakaev managed to prove to everyone and everyone that he would still take part in training and receive an award for his courage and diligence.

The champion has many victories in the USSR, and after that at the championships held in Russia.

In 1996, he became the champion in competitions in Europe and won several medals.

Apart from sports, Albert was busy social activities. In his native Chelyabinsk, he created a committee for people like himself, that is, with limited abilities. Unfortunately, in 2009 he died of a heart attack.

Batalova Rima

The girl from childhood was visually impaired. But that didn't stop her. The girl became a champion.

While still very tiny, she attended athletics sections (special, for those who have visual impairments).

In 1996, Rimma received a diploma from a higher educational institution in the Urals in a sports specialty.

In 1988, the girl already played for the national team of her country. Her first victory was in Seoul at the Paralympic competition. Batalova won a medal.

In 2008, the champion's sports career ended with a huge victory in Beijing - gold in long-distance running.

Let's also cancel the fact that Rima Batalova is listed in the world-famous Guinness Book of Records. It is indicated that the athlete is a 13-time winner among Paralympic athletes and won 18 times in international competitions.

Vladykina Olesya

Not all Russian Paralympic athletes were disabled from birth. The sweet girl Olesya appeared healthy in 1988, in Moscow, with her parents.

From childhood, parents took the baby to swimming, where she showed everyone amazing successes to envy. After a while, Vladykina was given the title of master of sports.

In 2008, Olesya Vladykina went on vacation to Thailand and invited a friend with her. While traveling on a sightseeing bus, they had a terrible accident. A friend died immediately, and the champion received a lot of damage and injuries, as a result of which she had to amputate her arm.

In order to somehow distract herself from painful thoughts, Olesya Vladykina makes an important decision for herself - to resume playing sports. She begins to train hard and six months later wins gold in Beijing.

In London, Olesya manages to duplicate her achievements and set a world record.

Savchenko Oksana

Our heroine has become no exception among the Paralympic athletes, who have many state awards in their collection.

The young medalist suffered from poor eyesight since childhood, but this did not prevent her from achieving all her goals.

Champion Oksana Savchenko was born in distant and snowy Kamchatka. When discharged from the maternity ward, the doctors did not pay attention to any deviations from the norm in the girl's body. But at three months she was diagnosed with glaucoma.

The girl's mother made a lot of efforts, and they were not in vain, the daughter was operated on in one of the Moscow hospitals, but nevertheless, it was not possible to restore vision in her right eye. The girl saw with her left, but badly. Then it was decided to take the child for swimming.

At the moment, Oksana Savchenko has three gold awards won in Beijing, as well as three more brought from London.

Also, the athlete Oksana Savchenko received a university diploma in the specialty "physical culture" from a Bashkir educational institution and a diploma in fire safety from the University of Ufa.

Bugaev Alexey

In 1997, the boy Alyosha was born in the city of Krasnoyarsk. This is the youngest Paralympic world champion in recent times.

The young man gained fame thanks to the past Olympic Games in Sochi. He won gold in slalom (alpine skiing).

At birth, Bugaev was diagnosed with an anomaly of the right hand. Parents directed all their forces to the struggle for a full life for their son. It was decided to give it to the sport. Thanks to this, Alexei got stronger and was able to reach unprecedented heights.

At fourteen, the guy was already a member of the Paralympic team and brought her a lot of success.

Lysova Mikhalina

This girl - a prime example perseverance and purposefulness. Mikhalina Lysova got into the sport at the suggestion of her parents and sister. It was she who took the girl to training.

The future athlete liked everything so much that she also decided to devote her life to sports.

Due to poor eyesight, the girl had a harder time than the others, but it was willpower that gave amazing results, coach Lysova recalls. He never made her any concessions and gave her tasks the same as for healthy children.

Success came much later. In Sochi, Mikhalina Lysova immediately became a three-time champion.

Kaufman Alena

Meet this young biathlete and talented skier, she is still little known to a wide range of Paralympic sports fans, but she has already achieved considerable success.

Alena Kaufman recently gave birth to a daughter, but this does not prevent her from working hard and fighting for victory.

From childhood, Kaufman was diagnosed with a weak grasping reflex, but her athletic parents did not let her daughter relax and put her on skis. She also shoots great. This is her strongest side. At competitions in Sochi, Alena won gold.

All Russian Paralympic athletes are strong personalities who achieved success with perseverance, work and faith in victory. We wish each of them good luck and victories, both sports and personal!

The development of sports for the disabled has more than centennial history. Back in the 18th and 19th centuries It has been established that motor activity is one of the main factors in the rehabilitation of disabled people.

The first attempts to involve disabled people in sports were made in the 19th century, when, in 1888, the first sports club for the deaf was formed in Berlin. First " Olympic Games for the Deaf ” were held in Paris on August 10-17, 1924. Athletes participated in them - representatives of official national federations Belgium, Great Britain, Holland, Poland, France and Czechoslovakia. Athletes came to the Games from Italy, Romania and Hungary, where there were no such federations. The program of the Games included competitions in athletics, cycling, football, shooting and swimming.

The International Sports Committee for the Deaf (ISCG) was formed on August 16, 1924. It included federations that unite athletes with hearing impairments. At the first congress of the ICCG, which took place in Brussels on October 31, 1926, the Charter of this organization was adopted. However, since 1924, the ICG has held the Summer World Games for the Deaf every four years. Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Austria, the USA and Japan join it before the start of World War II.

In 1949 Spain and Yugoslavia joined them. The International Winter Games of the Deaf are organized and held. The program of competitions for athletes with hearing impairment and the rules for their conduct are identical to the usual ones. The peculiarity is that the actions of the arbitrators must be visible. To do this, for example, lights are used in the starting signals. A positive factor that simplifies the organization of competitions is the use by athletes of the international dactylological system, which allows them to freely communicate with each other without interpreters.

Disabled people with injuries of the musculoskeletal system began to actively engage in sports only after the Second World War. In 1944, at the Center for the Rehabilitation of Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries in Stoke Mandeville a sports program was developed as an obligatory part of complex treatment. Its creator, professor Ludwig Guttmann , eventually became director of the Stoke Mandeville Center and president of the British international organization treatment of disabled people with injuries of the musculoskeletal system.

In July 1948, simultaneously with the Olympic Games in Great Britain, under the leadership of Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, the Stoke Mandeville Games took place. The archery competition was attended by 16 paralyzed men and women - former military personnel.

In subsequent years, not only the number of participants increased, but also the number of sports. The idea of ​​holding competitions for the disabled was supported by the international community. The Games have become an annual international sports festival, and since 1952, disabled athletes from the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Norway have regularly taken part in them. The absence of the necessary governing body, which would coordinate and determine the direction of the development of competitions for the disabled, led to the creation of the International Stoke Mandeville Federation, which established a close relationship with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). During the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956, the IOC awarded the International Stoke Mandeville Federation with a special cup for the embodiment of the Olympic ideals of humanism. Gradually, the world became convinced that sport is not a prerogative healthy people. Disabled people, even with such serious injuries as a spinal injury, can take part in competitions if they wish.

SUMMER PARALYMPIC GAMES

In II Paralympic Games (Tokyo, Japan, 1964) 390 athletes from 22 countries took part. Teams from the UK (70 people) and the USA (66 people) were represented by the largest number of athletes. New sports were included in the program of the Games, in particular, wheelchair riding, weightlifting and discus throwing. 144 medals were played. In terms of the number of medals won, the US athletes turned out to be clear leaders in the unofficial team standings. Teams from Great Britain and Italy took second and third places.
The significant event of the Games was the renaming of them to “ Paralympic ". For the first time, Paralympic paraphernalia (flag, anthem and symbol) was used at the competitions, and after their completion, many disabled athletes in Japan were employed.

IN III Paralympic Games (Tel Aviv, Israel, 1968) 750 athletes from 29 countries participated. In comparison with the competitions in Tokyo, the program of the Games has expanded significantly. In the conduct of competitions in some sports, such as basketball, swimming and athletics, classification changes have been introduced.

The hero of the Games in Israel was R. Marson from Italy. Having won two gold medals in athletics in Tokyo (1964), the athlete was actively involved in swimming and fencing. At the Games in Tel Aviv, R.Marson won 9 gold medals in three sports. Athlete L. Dod from Australia set three world records in swimming in one day. E. Owen from the USA won 7 medals of various denominations in several sports. Following the results of the 1968 Paralympic Games, the United States led the unofficial team standings. The second were the British Paralympians, the third - Israel.

IN IV Paralympic Games (Heidelberg, Germany, 1972) 1000 athletes from 44 countries participated. The most numerous delegations are represented by Germany, Great Britain and France. New sports and disciplines for athletes of various disability groups have been introduced into the competition program: goalball, 100-meter running for athletes with visual impairments, etc. During the Games, several world records were set, in particular, in swimming, where special technical equipment was used for the first time. The largest number of medals were won by American and German athletes. Far behind the leaders, the third unofficial team place was taken by the athletes of the Republic of South Africa (South Africa).

IN V Paralympic Games (Toronto, Canada, 1976) 1600 athletes (253 of them women) from 42 countries participated. In protest against the participation of South African athletes, representatives of some countries did not come to the Games. For the first time, 261 amputees and 167 visually impaired athletes competed in the Paralympic competition.

For the first time, the Paralympic Games in Toronto were broadcast on television for athletes with disabilities to more than 600,000 people in every region of Ontario.

The competition program has significantly expanded - wheelchair riding at 200, 400, 800 and 1500 m. In terms of the number of medals in the unofficial team event, US athletes won the first team place by a wide margin from other countries. The second and third places were taken by the teams of the Netherlands and Israel.

The opening ceremony VI Paralympic Games (Anhem, the Netherlands, 1980) was held at the Papendal stadium in the presence of 12 thousand spectators. 2,500 athletes from 42 countries participated in the competition. The expanded classification of disabled athletes made it possible to compete for more than 3,000 medals. For the first time, the program of the Paralympic Games includes sitting volleyball, as well as competitions for four groups of athletes with disabilities. Goalball for visually impaired athletes has become a Paralympic sport. The International Coordinating Committee was formed at the Games. The first, second and third places in the unofficial team standings were taken, respectively, by the teams of the USA, Germany and Canada.

VII Paralympic Games 1984 was held in America and Europe: 1780 athletes from 41 countries participated in competitions in New York and 2300 representatives from 45 countries in Stoke Mandeville. 900 medals were awarded at the Games. Funding came from public and private sources. A significant part of the subsidies is provided through information Agency by the US government. The main representatives of funds mass media there were BBC companies, Dutch, German and Swedish television.
More than 80,000 spectators watched the competitions in 13 sports in New York. Representatives of each disability group showed significant results at the Games. As a result, the US team won 276 medals, took first place in the unofficial team standings, and the British athletes, with 240 medals, took second place. In Stoke Mandeville, competitions were held in 10 sports. A large number of world and Paralympic records have been set, especially in athletics. The Paralympic Games in Stoke Mandeville, despite the short period (4 months) of their preparation, were a significant success. The organizers of the competition agreed on the need for athletes of all four disability groups to participate in the Paralympic Games.

On VIII Paralympic Games (Seoul, South Korea, 1988) a record number of athletes arrived - 3053 representatives from 61 countries. Participated in the Games for the first time USSR team . Athletes, coaches and technical staff were placed in a specially equipped village, which included 10 residential buildings with 1316 apartments. The President of the International Coordinating Committee, James Broman, proposed a new Paralympic flag at the Games. The program included 16 sports. Wheelchair tennis is presented as a demonstration sport. In Seoul, individual athletes won several medals in different types sports. The first place in the unofficial team standings was taken by the US team (268 medals), the second - Germany (189 medals), the third - Great Britain (179 medals).

The opening ceremony IX Paralympic Games (Barcelona, ​​Spain, 1992) was held on September 3 at the Olympic Stadium. It was attended by 65 thousand spectators; 90 delegations participated in the solemn parade. The Olympic village housed about 3,000 athletes and thousands of coaches, officials and managers. All the necessary types of medical care were organized for the athletes.

For 12 days, athletes competed in 15 sports. During the Games, about 1.5 million spectators attended various competitions. 3020 athletes participated in the Games, approximately 50% of the total number of athletes competed in swimming and athletics. 279 world records were set and 431 gold medals were awarded. After the Paralympic Games in Barcelona for athletes with disabilities mental development competitions were held in Madrid.

On X Paralympic Games (Atlanta, USA, 1996) 3195 athletes (2415 men and 780 women) and 1717 representatives of delegations from 103 countries arrived. From August 16 to August 25, competitions were held in 20 sports, of which 3 were demonstration sports. For the first time, 56 athletes with mental disabilities competed in athletics and swimming. The games were held at a high organizational level. The competition was attended by about 400,000 spectators. Approximately 60,000 spectators attended the opening and closing of the Games. The competitions were covered in mass media by 2088 accredited journalists, including: 721 in newspapers and magazines, 806 in radio and television, 114 in photo materials.

At the Third Paralympic Congress, which was held four days before the start of the Games, political and economic problems. Issues related to the civil rights of disabled athletes in society, and other problems of the disabled sports movement were discussed.

IN XI Paralympic Games 2000, 3,843 athletes from 127 countries, 2,000 officials, 1,300 media representatives, 1,000 technicians, 2,500 guests from International and National Committees and 10,000 volunteers participated. The most representative in terms of the number of athletes participating were the teams of Australia (303), USA (288), Germany (262), Spain (224), Great Britain (219), Canada (172), France (158), Japan (157), Poland (114) and Holland (105). Russia was represented by 90 athletes. Of the sports, the most representative in terms of the number of athletes who entered the competition were: athletics - 1043 athletes, swimming - 570, powerlifting - 278, table tennis - 270, wheelchair basketball - 240, road cycling - 177, cycling track -152, sitting volleyball - 140, bullet shooting - 139, goalball - 116. Russian athletes took part in 10 sports: athletics (22 athletes), swimming (20), basketball for athletes with intellectual disabilities (12), powerlifting (11), football (11), judo (b), bullet shooting (5), equestrian sports (1), tennis (1), table tennis (1) and took 14th place overall out of 125 participating countries.

XII Paralympic Games were held in Athens (Greece) from 17 to 28.09.2004. . 3800 athletes from 136 countries competed for Paralympic medals for 11 days. Russian team won 16 gold, 8 silver and 17 bronze medals at the Paralympic Games in Athens, finishing 11th in the team standings. The final victory was won by Chinese athletes with disabilities, who have total 141 medals (63 of which are of the highest value). Team Great Britain is in second place, and Canada is in third.

Beijing XIII Paralympics (China. 6-17 09. 2008) has become one of the most representative in the history of the Paralympic movement. More than 4 thousand athletes took part in it. 148 countries of the world were represented at the Games. The most numerous was the Chinese team - 332 Paralympians. Russia brought 145 athletes to China, four leaders who run ahead of blind athletes and one alternate athlete to participate in rowing. The largest number of Russian athletes are athletes (39 people) and swimmers (34), 25% of the team members have visual impairments, 75% of the musculoskeletal system, including 16 wheelchair users.

According to the results of the Games, the Russian team won 63 medals (18 gold, 23 silver and 22 bronze), finishing eighth in the team standings. In terms of the total number of medals, our compatriots managed to enter the top six. In total, the Russians competed in 13 sports out of 20. In addition to athletics and swimming, six medals were won in judo (1-0-5 - 7th place in the team standings), six in shooting (2-1-3 - 3rd place), four in powerlifting (0 -4-0 - 8th place), two - in table tennis (1-1-0 - 7th place), one each - in football (0-1-0 - 3rd place) and volleyball ( 0-0-1 - 5th place).

In the team event, the Chinese team won an unconditional victory, winning 211 medals - 89 gold, 70 silver, 52 bronze. The second was the British (42-29-31), who last day strained by the Americans, who finished third (36-35-28). The top six also included the teams of Ukraine (24-18-32), Australia (23-29-27) and South Africa (21-3-6).

XIV Paralympic Games were held in London (UK) from August 29 to September 9, 2012. This is the largest competition in the history of the Paralympic Movement: more than 4,200 athletes from 166 countries in 20 sports took part in them, 503 sets of medals were played.
To the team Russian Federation included 162 athletes with disabilities (damage to the musculoskeletal system, hearing impairment, mental impairment) from 42 constituent entities of the Russian Federation (the composition of the official delegation was 313 people). Russian athletes competed in 12 sports and won 36 gold, 38 silver and 28 bronze medals, placing 2nd overall in the unofficial standings.

Representatives of China became the first, they climbed to the highest step of the podium 95 times, 71 - to the second and 65 - to the third. The third place was taken by the hosts of the competition - on account of the British team 120 medals - 34 gold, 43 silver and the same amount of bronze. The ten strongest countries in the world also included Ukraine (32, 24, 28), Australia (32, 23, 30), USA (31, 29, 38), Brazil (21, 14, 8), Germany (18, 26, 22 ), Poland (14, 13, 9) and the Netherlands (10, 10, 19).

WINTER PARALYMPIC GAMES

The success of the first Winter Games made it possible to organize second paralympic competitions in 1980 in Geilo (Norway). Downhill sledding was held as demonstration performances. Athletes of all disability groups took part in the Paralympic starts.

III Winter Paralympic Games were held in Innsbruck (Austria) in 1984. For the first time, 30 men on three skis took part in the giant slalom.

In 1988 IV Winter Paralympic Games were again held in Innsbruck (Austria). 397 athletes from 22 countries participated in the competition. Arrived at the Games for the first time athletes from the USSR. Sitting skiing competitions were introduced into the program of the Games.

In 1992 V Winter Paralympic Games were held in Tignes, Albertville, France. Competitions were held only in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and biathlon. Athletes of the USSR performed under the united flag. For the first time, athletes with ODA violations took part in the Paralympic Games. The national team took third place in the games in the team standings. The skiers who won 10 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze medals were the most successful.

VI Winter Paralympic Games were held in 1994 in Lillehammer (Norway). Approximately 1000 athletes lived in the village, where there were special technical facilities for the disabled. For the first time, sitting hockey competitions were demonstrated at the Games. The Paralympic version of hockey proved popular. Cross-country skiing and biathlon competitions were held at the local ski stadium. The Russians successfully performed at the games. Alexey Moshkin won gold and bronze in alpine skiing disciplines. On account of our skiers 10 gold, 12 silver and 8 bronze medals in races (3 team classification), one gold and two silver in biathlon, bronze in the men's relay.

VII Winter Paralympic Games were first held on the Asian continent - in Nagano (Japan). 1146 people took part in the Games. (571 athletes and 575 officials) from 32 countries. For 10 days, medals were played in 5 sports: skiing, speed skating, cross-country skiing, biathlon and hockey. Athletes from 22 countries climbed the podium at these games. For the first time, ID skiers participated in the Paralympics. Athletes from Norway repeated the success of the previous Games and in the unofficial standings took the first team place (18 gold medals), the second was won by Germany (14 gold medals), the third by the USA (13 gold medals). Our team was fifth, having won 12 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze medals.

VIII Winter Paralympic Games , Salt Lake City (USA, Utah), March 7-16, 2002
36 teams took part in the Games - 416 athletes. Athletes from China, Andorra, Chile, Greece and Hungary arrived for the first time. Team USA was the most numerous - 57 people. In second place is the Japanese team - 37 athletes. The teams of Germany, Canada and Norway had 27 athletes each. Russia was represented by 26 athletes. Athletes from 22 countries won medals of various denominations. In the unofficial team standings, the Russian team took 5th place, winning a total of 21 medals - 7 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze. Our skiers won 7 gold medals, 8 silver and 3 bronze medals, second only to the Norwegians.

IX Paralympic Games , Turin (Italy), 10 - 19.03.06. 486 athletes from 39 countries took part in the Games. They competed for 58 sets of medals in five disciplines - skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, hockey and curling. The Russian team confidently won the medal standings of the Paralympics. On account of domestic athletes 13 gold, 13 silver and 7 bronze awards.

X Paralympic Games , Vancouver (Canada), 12 - 21.03.2010. The Games were attended by 650 athletes from over 40 countries. 64 sets of medals of various denominations in 5 sports were played. The Russian national team became the second in the team standings, having won 38 medals - 12 gold, 16 silver and 10 bronze. The German team won more gold awards (13-5-6). The third place was taken by the Canadian team (10-5-4), the fourth by Slovakia (6-2-3), the fifth by Ukraine (5-8-6), and the sixth by the United States (4-5-4). In terms of the total number of awards, the Russians confidently became the first, having updated the national record at the Paralympics (38). Previously, our compatriots have not won more than 33 awards. The second in the overall medal ranking was the German team (24), the third - Canadians and Ukrainians (19 each).

According to the results of the Paralympics in biathlon, the Russians won the team victory, winning five gold, seven silver and four bronze medals. The top three included the teams of Ukraine (3-3-4) and Germany (3-0-2). In cross-country skiing, the Russians also celebrated the victory (7-9-6), leaving behind the Canadians (3-1-1) and the Germans (3-1-0). In alpine skiing, the German team excelled (7-4-4), while the top three included the teams of Canada (6-4-3) and Slovakia (6-2-3). In hockey, the top three are the USA (1-0-0), Japan (0-1-0) and Norway (0-0-1), in curling - Canada (1-0-0), South Korea (0-1 -0) and Sweden (0-0-1).

The most titled of the Russians at the Paralympics was Irek Zaripov, who won four gold and one silver in cross-country skiing and biathlon. Kirill Mikhalov has three golds, Anna Burmistrova and Sergey Shilov have two. The most titled athletes of the Games should be recognized as the Canadian skier Lauren Wolstencroft and the German skier and biathlete Verena Bentele, who achieved a unique achievement - five victories in five types in which they performed.

Paralympic Games - international sports competitions for people with disabilities (except for the hearing impaired.) Traditionally held after the main Olympic Games. The Paralympic Games are the most prestigious competitions for athletes with disabilities, with national, regional and global selections.

The spelling "Paralympic" is recorded in the academic "Russian Spelling Dictionary" and other dictionaries. The spelling "Paralympic" has not yet been noted in dictionaries and is used only in official documents of the bodies state power, being a tracing-paper from the official name (IOC) to English language paralympic games. The term “Paralympic” has been dropped because the use of the word “Olympic” and its derivatives for marketing and other commercial purposes must be agreed with the IOC each time.

At first, the term "Paralympic Games" was applied informally. The 1960 Games were officially called the "Ninth International Stoke Mandeville Games" and only in 1984 they were given the status of the first Paralympic Games. The first games to which the term "Paralympics" was officially applied were the 1964 games. However, in a number of games up to the 1980 Games, the term "Olympic Games for the Disabled" was used, in 1984 - "International Games of the Disabled". The term "Paralympic" was finally officially fixed, starting with the 1988 Games.

The emergence of sports in which disabled people can participate is associated with the name of an English neurosurgeon Ludwig Guttmann. In 1948, a physician at the Stoke Mandeville Rehabilitation Hospital, he brought together British veterans who had returned from the Second World War with spinal cord injury to participate in sports competitions. Referred to as the "father of sports for people with disabilities", Guttman was a strong advocate for the use of sports to improve the quality of life of disabled people with spinal cord injury. The first Games, which became the prototype of the Paralympic Games, were called the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games, which coincided with the London Olympic Games in 1948 in time. Guttman had a far-reaching goal - the creation of the Olympic Games for athletes with disabilities. The British Stoke Mandeville Games were held annually, and in 1952, with the arrival of the Dutch team of wheelchair athletes to participate in the competition, the Games received international status and numbered 130 participants. The IX Stoke Mandeville Games, which were open not only to war veterans, were held in 1960 in Rome. They are considered the first official Paralympic Games. 400 wheelchair athletes from 23 countries competed in Rome. Since that time, the rapid development of the Paralympic movement in the world began.

In 1976, the first Winter Paralympic Games were held in Ornskoldsvik (Sweden)., in which for the first time not only wheelchair users, but also athletes with other categories of disabilities took part. Also in 1976, the Toronto Summer Paralympic Games made history by bringing together 1,600 participants from 40 countries, including the blind and visually impaired, paraplegics, as well as athletes with amputations, spinal cord injuries and other types of physical disabilities.

Competitions, the purpose of which was originally the treatment and rehabilitation of disabled people, became sporting event higher level, in connection with which it became necessary to create a governing body. In 1982 was created Coordinating Council international sports organizations for the disabled - ICC. Seven years later the Coordinating Council

The supreme body of the IPC is the General Assembly, which meets once every two years. All members of the IPC participate in the General Assembly. The main consolidated document of the IPC governing the issues of the Paralympic Movement is the IPC Rulebook (IPC Handbook), an analogue of the Olympic Charter in the Olympic Movement.

Since 2001, the post of President of the IPC has been occupied by the Englishman Sir Philip Craven, Member of the Board of the British Olympic Association and the Organizing Committee "London 2012" for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, world champion.

Under the leadership of Sir Philip Craven, in 2002 a process of revisiting the strategic objectives, governance and structure of the IPC was initiated. The innovative approach resulted in a package of proposals and a new vision and mission for the Paralympic Movement, leading to the adoption of the current IPC Constitution in 2004. Two-time European champion in wheelchair basketball, ex-president International Wheelchair Basketball Federation.

For the first time, the USSR national team took part in the Paralympic Winter Games in 1984 in Innsbruck, Austria. The team had only two bronze medals, won by skier Olga Grigoryeva, a visually impaired skier. In the Paralympic Summer Games, Soviet Paralympians made their debut in 1988 in Seoul. They competed in swimming and athletics, winning 55 medals, including 21 gold.

Paralympic emblem appeared at the Winter Games in Turin in 2006. The logo consists of three hemispheres of red, blue and green colors located around the central point - three agitos (from the Latin agito - “set in motion, move”). This symbol reflects the role of the IPC in bringing together athletes with disabilities who inspire and delight the world through their achievements. Three hemispheres, the colors of which - red, green and blue - are widely represented in the national flags of the countries of the world, symbolize Mind, Body and Spirit.

The Paralympic flag depicts the main Paralympic symbol - the emblem of the IPC, located in the center on a white background. The Paralympic flag may only be used at official events sanctioned by the IPC.

Paralympic anthem is a musical orchestral work "Hymn de l' Avenir" ("hymn of the future"). It was written French composer Thierry Darny in 1996 and approved by the IPC Board in March 1996.

Paralympic motto- "Spirit in Motion" ("Spirit in motion"). The motto concisely and vividly conveys the vision of the Paralympic Movement - the need to provide Paralympic athletes of all levels and backgrounds with the opportunity to inspire and delight the world through sporting achievements.

Another turning point in the Paralympic movement was the 1988 Summer Paralympic Games, which used the same venues that hosted the Olympic competitions. The 1992 Winter Paralympic Games were held in the same city and in the same arenas as the Olympic competitions. In 2001, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement that the Paralympic Games should take place in the same year, in the same country, and use the same venues as the Olympic Games. This agreement will remain in effect until the 2012 Summer Games in the UK.

CHRONICLE OF THE PARALYMPIC GAMES

Summer Games

Winter Games

Wanderson Silva(born December 1, 1982) is a Brazilian athlete, participant in track and field athletics. As a result of an accident that happened 14 years ago, Silva lost his left leg. He started playing sports in 2003.

Alessandro Zanardi(born October 22, 1966) is an Italian racing driver in the international Formula 1, Indycar, ETCC, WTCC and other international series. In September 2001, Alessandro Zanardi was involved in a car accident during a competition at the Lausitzring in Germany. Zanardi lost control of the car, after which Alex Tagliani's car crashed into the athlete's car at great speed. There was nothing left of the crushing blow from the Italian car, and the pilot lost both legs above the knee. Zanardi managed to recover from the accident. By the end of the year, the pilot was able to walk on special prostheses, in 2003 he was able to return to motorsport. In March 2012, Zanardi was confirmed as a participant in the Paralympic Games in the hand bike competition.

In the photo: Alessandro Zanardi during the preparation for the Paralympic Games in London for the competition on hand bikes.

Oscar Pistorius(born 22 November 1986) is a South African runner. A native of Johannesburg, at the age of 11 months, lost his legs, since Oscar did not have fibulae from birth. The young man was engaged in a variety of sports - from running to rugby. Subsequently focusing on athletics (using carbon fiber prostheses), the South African representative at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens became the winner of the 100m tournament and the bronze medalist in the 200m. The repeated Paralympic world champion in 2011 became the silver medalist of the world championship in the 4x400 m relay and took eighth place in the semi-finals of the 400 m race. At the London Olympics in the same discipline, Oscar took 23rd place in the semi-finals, and also ran in the final stage relay race 4x400 m (the South African team took eighth place). Pistorius was the flag bearer for the South African team at the closing ceremony of the Games in London.

Pictured: Prosthetic Oscar Pistorius competes in the men's 400m qualifying race during the track and field events at the XXX Summer Olympics in London.

Olesya Vladykina(born February 14, 1988) is a Russian athlete, champion of the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. In 2008, while on vacation in Thailand, a tour bus had an accident. Olesya's friend died, and the girl lost her left arm. However, Olesya soon resumed training and five months later became the Paralympic champion in swimming at a distance of 100 meters breaststroke. In London, the athlete plans to perform at several distances - both in individual disciplines and in relay races. Olesya Vladykina is an ambassador for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi.

In the photo: Olesya Vladykina, champion of the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games, at a press conference.

Daniel Diaz(born May 24, 1988) is a Brazilian swimmer, winner of four gold, four silver and bronze medals at the Beijing Paralympic Games (2008). Diaz was born without lower arms and legs and learned to walk with prosthetics. The athlete began swimming at the age of 16, inspired by the performance of the Brazilian swimmer Clodoalno Silva at the Paralympic Games in Athens (2004).

Photo: Daniel Diaz competes in swimming at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Franz Nitlispach(born April 2, 1958) is a Swiss athlete, a participant in the Summer Paralympic Games from 1976 to 2008. Nitlispach is the owner of 14 gold, 6 silver and 2 bronze Paralympic medals and is included in the list of owners of the most a large number medals at the Paralympic Games. Nitlispach took part in track and field athletics, table tennis, and also took part in the Boston Marathon 5 times.

In the photo: Franz Nitlispach takes part in the competitions at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Terezinha Guilhermina(born October 3, 1978) is a Brazilian athlete with a congenital visual impairment who competes in athletics (category T11-T13). The Brazilian is the owner of the bronze medal of the Paralympic Games in Athens (2004), the gold, silver and bronze medalist of the Paralympics in Beijing (2008). Guilhermina started playing sports at the age of 22 in sports club located next to her house. The athlete's father is her inspiration and the person who influenced her fate, and Terezinha calls the Brazilian race car driver Ayaarton Senna an idol in sports.

Pictured: Terezinha Guilhermina competes at the International Paralympic Championships in Manchester.

Oleg Kretsul(born May 21, 1975) is a Russian Paralympic judoka. The athlete in 1996 won the title of vice-champion of Europe and participated in the Olympics in Atlanta. But soon after the wedding, Oleg got into a difficult situation. car accident in which his wife died and he lost his sight. But Kretsul managed to cope with the circumstances and returned to the sport, became the champion of Europe, the world and the silver medalist of the Paralympics in Athens. And four years later in Beijing, he became the champion of the Paralympic Games - to the day after a terrible accident nine years ago.

In the photo: Paralympic champion Oleg Kretsul takes part in the Moscow-Sochi video bridge on the topic: "Sport without barriers."

Pal Sekeresh(born 22 September 1964) is a Hungarian wheelchair fencing competitor. He is a participant in the Seoul Olympic Games (bronze medalist). In 1991, Szekeres suffered spinal cord injuries in a bus accident. The Hungarian athlete is the owner of the gold medals of the Paralympic Games in Barcelona (1992), two-time Paralympic champion of the Games in Atlanta (1996). At the Paralympics in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004) he won bronze medals. Sekersh's wife is also a fencing athlete.

In the photo: Pal Szekeres takes part in wheelchair fencing competitions at the International Championship in Catania.

Maxim Veraksa(born August 14, 1984) - Ukrainian swimmer (has visual impairment), four-time Paralympic champion and winner of the bronze medal of the 2008 Games.

Pictured: Maxim Veraksa celebrating his victory in the swimming competition at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Dmitry Kokarev(born February 11, 1991) is a Russian swimmer. Doctors gave Dmitry a year terrible diagnosis- cerebral palsy. The child has been swimming since childhood and at the age of 14 he got into the Russian Paralympic team. And a year later, young Kokarev became the opening of the World Cup, having won three gold medals. At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, the 17-year-old representative Nizhny Novgorod won in three final heats (two with world records) and in one became the silver medalist of the competition. 11-time world champion Dmitry Kokarev in London plans to perform at several distances.

In the photo: swimmer Dmitry Kokarev presenting the award in the national nomination "Overcoming" in the field of physical culture and sports.

Khamis Zakut(born December 6, 1965) is a Palestinian athlete in athletics. Khamis Zakut started playing sports in 1994, three years after an accident in one of the buildings. He is the father of nine children.

In the photo: Khamis Zakut during preparations for the Paralympic Games in London.

Ollie Hind(born 27 October 1994) is a British swimmer who has been in the sport since 2011. His favorite discipline in swimming is the 400m relay, and his idol in sports is the American, winner of 22 Olympic medals, Michael Phelps.

Pictured: Ollie Hind during a photo shoot for the British Paralympic team.

Matthew Cowdrey(born 22 December 1988) is an Australian swimmer. Kaudry (born with the absence of the left arm below the elbow). He started swimming at the age of five, and has been taking part in competitions since the age of eight. He is a multiple medal winner of the Paralympic Games in Athens and Beijing. An idol in sports calls American cyclist Lance Armstrong and Australian swimmer Keiren Perkins.

Pictured: Matthew Cowdrey celebrating his victory in the swimming competition at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Elodi Lorandi(born May 31, 1989) is a French swimmer, winner of the silver medal of the Paralympic Games in Beijing. She started swimming at the age of four, being with a congenital rare disease that limits the performance of the limbs. The idol in sports for the young Frenchwoman is the Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe.

Chan Yu Chung(born 4 January 1983) is a Hong Kong wheelchair fencing athlete and gold medal winner in the Beijing Paralympic fencing competition. He has been fencing since 2001.

In the photo: Chan Yu Chong after winning the competition at the Paralympics in Beijing.

Natalie Du Toth(born January 29, 1984) is a South African swimmer who is a five-time Paralympic champion in Athens, as well as a silver medalist in the 100m and a five-time champion of the Beijing Paralympic Games. Natalie Du Toth lost her left leg below the knee in a scooter accident in February 2001 on her way to school. Despite the efforts of doctors, part of the girl's leg had to be amputated.

Pictured: Natalie Du Toth celebrates her victory at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Michelle Stilwell(born July 4, 1974) is a Canadian track and field athlete, Sydney 2000 Paralympic champion in basketball, and two-time Beijing Paralympic champion in track and field. The Canadian was injured at the age of 17 as a result of an unfortunate fall from the stairs. She has been playing sports since 2004.

In the photo: Michelle Stilwell takes part in the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Alexey Ashapatov- (born October 30, 1973) - Russian athlete, champion and record holder of the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games. Alexey has been professionally involved in volleyball for many years, playing for the teams of Noyabrsk, Nizhnevartovsk and Surgut. But as a result of an accident that occurred in 2002, he lost his leg. However, he remained in sports, having managed to win the title of master of sports of international class in arm wrestling. Alexei was the flag bearer for the Russian team at the Paralympics in Beijing, where he won the discus throw and shot put competitions. Repeated winner of the championships of Russia, Europe and the world Alexei Ashapatov in London will again be the standard-bearer of the national team.

In the photo: Alexei Ashapatov, champion of the Paralympic Games in athletics.

Jerome Singleton(born July 7, 1986) is an American athlete, participant in track and field athletics (running). He is the owner of the silver and gold medals of the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Singleton was born without a fibula in his right leg, which forced doctors to amputate part of his leg.

Pictured: Jerome Singleton celebrating victory in the 4x100m at the Beijing Paralympics.

Chantal Petiklerk(born December 15, 1969) is a Canadian track and field athlete, winner of 14 Paralympic gold medals in Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing, as well as 5 silver and 2 bronze Paralympic medals. Chantal Petiklerk lost both legs at the age of 13 in an accident when a heavy door fell on the girl. The decisive role in the fate of the girl was played by her school teacher, who persuaded her to go swimming after the tragedy and develop physical endurance.

Pictured: Chantal Petiklerk celebrating victory in the handbike competition at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Oksana Savchenko(born October 10, 1990) is a Russian swimmer, three-time champion and record holder of the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in short distance swimming. A native of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, she began swimming at the age of five. The athlete at the Paralympics in Beijing won the swimming competition (a sport for the blind) three times, and at a distance of 50 m freestyle she set world records twice in a day. The multiple champion of Russia, Europe and the world, the multiple winner of the largest world competitions, currently representing Ufa, intends to compete in several distances in London.