A reflection on the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. By Anthony Clarke For any athlete trying to gain a spot in the Paralympic team has a hard but rewarding road ahead of them. Qualifying usually starts 3 years prior to the games. And the amount of travel is enormous. Especially in the last 12 months before the games. For example for myself the period between May and September I had only been home for a total of 3 weeks. I had 4 by 2 week training camps inPerth. One tournament inSydney. Another tournament inLithuania where I won a bronze medal. And then 3 weeks inChina. The Beijing Paralympics was my fifth and final games. I came equal 9th place. I had a total of 2 fights. One toRussia and the other toSpain. Although I was happy with my performance I lost both of these fights. Russia won the gold and the Spanish gentleman came fifth. Over all a very tough tournament as only the top 12 in the world were selected for these games. A lot of things go on at the games that most people don’t hear of. For example: Some of the countries that were their, were countries that were still in some sort of war or were post a recent war. These teams often had no equipment, uniforms or medical staff. So the richer countries likeAustralia,New Zealand, and Canada etc would sponsor a country or a specific sport and get them the equipment they needed and access to their medical staff. It was sad to see that some of these athletes with artificial legs was literally a carved tree branch. And even worse when the fire works went off at the opening and closing ceremony that some of these athletes who were still not so long fighting in a war. Would fall to the ground as a automatic response to loud explosions. These things make you realize how lucky we are hear in safeAustralia. I also volunteered a lot of my spare time after my event to the Australian embassy. The embassy used me as a role model and as a spokesperson to promote technologies related to people with disabilities, at a function for the potential sponsors of a cocklia implant programme for the hearing impaired. I also gave a motivational presentation and a musical concert for an orphanage for children and young adults with scistic thrombosis. Over all a very busy and rewarding time. This was my fifth and final Paralympics. And one thing has become clear to me observing other athletes from all around the world. That regardless of colour of skin, religion gender and disability, that if you have the passion and the determination any thing is possible. And that living in such a rich country like ours with all its opportunities available to people with a disability. That the only thing stopping us from achieving our potential is yourself. Regards Anthony Clarke www.anthonyclarke.net.au
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