62 replies to this topic

[paul92]

Well the Olympics have been a massive success and with the cauldron distinguished, it can only mean the 2012 Paralympic Games are due to begin.

The opening ceremony will take place on Wednesday 29th August at 8:30pm.

Over 4,000 athletes from 162 nations will take part in various sports until Sunday 9th August when the closing ceremony signal the end of the games.

With tickets already close to being sold out, many are predicting that these games will be without a doubt, the greatest Paralympic Games of all time.

Earlier this year, I was selected to be a Games Maker at the Paralympics, so I will be working at the Paralympic Village bringing you all the gossip of who is doing who. _^Maybe...

[gotosy]

U.S. Olympic Committee Announces Expanded Broadcast/Online Coverage of 2012 London Paralympics

-- TODAY the United States Olympic Committee announced broadcast and online coverage plans for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. By creating original video content for the U.S. Paralympics YouTube channel, YouTube.com/USParalympics , while also partnering with NBCUniversal and the International Paralympic Committee, U.S. Paralympics will provide the American public with more coverage of the U.S. Paralympic Team than any previous year.

Beginning on Aug. 29 and continuing through the conclusion of the Games on Sept. 9, U.S. Paralympics will provide 10 daily video highlights packages via its U.S. Paralympics YouTube channel . The videos will chronicle the competition, athlete stories and will also include the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Videos chronicling the lead-up to the Games will also be available in late August.

"As one of only four National Olympic Committees that also manage the Paralympic program, we are committed to increasing Paralympic coverage in the U.S.," said Scott Blackmun, chief executive officer of the USOC. "With this expanded approach to coverage, the USOC is making a significant investment in growing the Paralympic Movement in the United States and introducing more fans to Paralympic sport."

In addition to the online content, NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will air one-hour highlight shows on Sept. 4, 5, 6 and 11 at 7 p.m. EDT. Following the Paralympic Games, on Sept. 16, NBC will broadcast a 90 minute special from 2-3:30 p.m. EDT. All NBC and NBC Sports Network Paralympic highlight shows and specials will re-air on Universal Sports Network and UniversalSports.com.
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http://www.swimmingw...don-Paralympics

[gotosy]

London 2012 Paralympic torch relay details announced

Paralympic beacons will be lit on the highest peaks of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales next week to begin the countdown to the London 2012 Games.


Groups of disabled and able-bodied Scouts will be given the honour of lighting the beacons on Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis, Slieve Donard and Snowdon on Aug 22.

The four flames will then be transferred to London, Edinburgh, Stormont and Cardiff between Aug 24 and 27 before being united on Aug 28 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, the starting point of the torch relay to the Olympic Stadium.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital is the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, having hosted a sports event for injured servicemen in 1948, and the Paralympic torch will be carried by 580 torchbearers on a 92-mile route to the stadium over the course of 24 hours.

Working in teams of five, the torchbearers will pass landmarks including Lord's Cricket Ground, Piccadilly Circus, Tower Bridge and the pedestrian crossing at Abbey Road made famous by The Beatles.

It will arrive in the Olympic Stadium on Aug 29 during the opening ceremony for the Paralympics.
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http://www.telegraph...-announced.html

[Olympian2004]

ARD and ZDF will broadcast an unprecedented total of 37 hours from the Paralympics, which means we'll get up to almost 8 hours of broadcasting per day. Here's the schedule in German:

http://olympia.ard.d...o_tv/index.html

What worries me, though, is their schedule for the opening and closing ceremonies. They start broadcasting the opening at 21:00 BST and finish at 23:00 BST, although the ceremony actually starts at 20:30 and will probably take until at least 23:30, I reckon.

Same for the closing: They broadcast it from 21:00 to 23:00, although the ceremony starts already at 19:30. OK, they can broadcast it with a delay - also the opening ceremony, but how will they manage to show the cauldron lighting and other segments if they already stop broadcasting at 23:00? Strange...

[gotosy]

Paralympics organisers have put 45,000 more tickets on sale in addition to the 20,000 already available for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Most are for athletics, but they are also for events including cycling, equestrian and wheelchair basketball.

Some 2.2 million Paralympics tickets have been sold so far, with 2.5 million expected to be made available in total.

Games organiser Locog said public enthusiasm for the Paralympics reflected that for the Olympics.

Locog chairman Lord Coe said: "After the nation took the Olympic Games and Team GB to their hearts in such a spectacular way, it is no surprise that they look set to do the same for ParalympicsGB and the Paralympic Games.

"We are working flat out to stage a memorable Paralympic Games and I'm delighted that the enthusiasm and support for our Games from the UK shows no sign of wavering."
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BBC

[gotosy]

UK Sport set ParalympicsGB target of finishing 2nd place with 'at least' 103 medals

Britain's Paralympics team have been set the target of finishing second in the overall medal table with "at least" 103 medals.



ParalympicsGB's target, set by the government's funding body UK Sport, was based on data from all 18 funded Paralympic sports, that together produced a collective performance target range of 95 to 145 medals.

The team have finished second in the overall tally at the last three Games and the ambition is to once again secure that position by winning a minimum of 103 medals from at least 12 different sports.

Britain's London 2012 Paralympic campaign has been backed by over £49 million of funding and UK Sport are supremely confident of once again securing second place.

Baroness Sue Campbell, the chairwoman of UK Sport, said: "British Paralympic sport is better-resourced, and in a stronger position than ever before.

http://www.telegraph...103-medals.html

[dancingbrogues]

I don't usually believe the Daily Mail, but I can certainly see that the BBC will be regretting not caring enough about paralympic sport to put in a serious bid for the games. Ch4 must be laughing. There is so much interest. They've nabbed Clare Balding and they've promised 160 hours of coverage. I'm hoping we'll still be able to access the IPC webstreaming in the UK because I dislike commercial interruptions.

http://www.dailymail...-broadcast.html

[gotosy]

Britain today became the first country to formally register its team for London 2012 Paralympics.

A total of 301 athletes across the 20 sports will compete for Britain.

That is made up of 186 men and 115 women - the nation's biggest ever team.

The youngest team member will be swimmer Chloe Davies, a 13-year-old from Bath who will compete in the 100 metres backstroke in the S14 category, and the oldest will be archer Kate Murray, who is 63 from Hawick and will compete in the women's individual and team recurve events in the W2 section.
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http://www.insidewor...for-london-2012

[gotosy]

David Cameron wishes ParalympicsGB good luck as flag raised in Downing Street

[gotosy]

Mayoral role for Paralympic Games founder's daughter


The daughter of Ludwig Guttman - founder of the Paralympic Games - has been appointed mayor of the London 2012 Paralympic Village.

Eva Loeffler has begun her duties by welcoming team officials, who started arriving in the village on Monday.

The competitors will start moving in on Wednesday, ahead of the Games beginning on 29 August.

The mayor's role includes hosting guests and dignitaries and speaking at events in the village.
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BBC