London & Partners

2012 PARALYMPIC DIARY
An artist’s impression of wheelchair
basketball players outside Windsor Castle
down the River Thames at the ExCel
Centre, wheelchair fencing starts its
five-day programme, with medals up
for grabs every day. As with its
Olympic counterparts, there are three
different weapons in the sport. Today
sees the men and women’s individual
foil competitions, from preliminaries
through to finals.
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Main Events
When a sport is also known
as ‘murderball’, you know its
not going to be for the faint
of heart! Wheelchair rugby
requires toughness and much
determination, with four opposition
players on the court working hard to
ensure you can’t take the ball
across their goal line. Though
physical contact is illegal, contact
between wheelchairs isn’t, making
for a bruising spectacle that
combines elements of rugby and
basketball. Taking place at the
Basketball Arena, qualifiers begin
today ahead of what should be
a frantic five days of competition.
The previous two days saw
individual medals decided,
now the women’s and men’s
team recurve events end archery’s
involvement in this year’s Games.
There is no more storied sport in
Paralympic history, having been
a part of every programme since
the birth of the Games at Stoke
Mandeville in 1948.
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Main Events
The Royal Artillery Barracks
is home to shooting. This is
the eighth and final day of
competition for the sport with
women’s and mixed events bringing
proceedings to a close.
Today means three days
left to go in the swimming
events but the competition
at the Aquatics Centre is showing
no sign of letting up just yet.
Fifteen finals for a variety of
different events and classifications,
for both men and women, ensure
this venue will witness yet another
intensely busy day.
Friday, 7 September 2012
Main Events
The ninth day of sitting
volleyball competition means
medals are now within reach.
Just like its Olympic counterpart, the
sport is very fast-paced and
demands enormous concentration. In
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL IMAGE © VISITBRITAIN/CRAIG EASTON;
WHEELCHAIR ATHLETE IMAGE © THINKSTOCK/PHOTODISC
PARALYMPIC FACT: Disabilities are broken down into six categories in which athletes compete
132
| visitlondon.com|LONDON PLANNER|London 2012 Issue August/September