In other news - At the Dining Hall today, we saw someone from the Chinese
team eat rice with chopsticks. Nothing strange, I suppose--except that this
guy was eating with his feet. Seriously cool. Any Paralympic Village
is stocked full with people like this, who have overcome the most
debilitating setbacks in the most incredible ways. I know the motto "adapt
and overcome" belongs to the Marines, but I think the Paralympics should
give serious thought to adopting some version of it, because when you come
right down to it, that's what this whole thing is about. Adapt, overcome.
Leave your obstacles in the dust, rise above them. Citius, Altius,
Fortius. Faster, Higher, Stronger.
The blind athletes never cease to amaze me. Olympic Hall of Famer John Morgan was a regular swimmer before an accident in a gym blinded him. "I felt like I was diving into a void," he said.
That's what it is like for every blind or visually impaired athlete
competing here in Beijing. Even for those who can make out light and dark,
different blurs, etc, it's still taking a huge leap of faith. Blind runners
and cyclists have guides running or riding with them, which are formally
called "pilots" but it's still hard to throw yourself into something like
that
full tilt without knowing for sure what lies ahead. Swimmers
have no guides. Goalball players have no guides. I don't know how Visually
Impaired Judo works, but I'd bet a lot that when they step onto the mats,
they are on their own. What strength of character that must take!
Context is an archer blogging from the Paralympics in Beijing.