ParalympicSportTV

Judo

Judo, which first began as a martial art activity for practicing mobility, was included as a competitive sport at the Paralympic Games for the first time in Seoul in 1988. At Athens in 2004, women's weight categories were included for the first time.

The sport is open to athletes with visual impairments in several weight categories. Contests last five minutes and the athlete who scores the higher amount of points wins.

At the London 2012 games, 132 athletes will compete in 13 medal events.

Ones to watch: Naomi Soazo

The visually impaired 20-year-old is the only athlete from Venezuela to have ever won gold at the Paralympic Games.

In her Paralympic Games debut at Beijing 2008, Soazo took just three seconds to defeat Spain's Marta Arce in the 63kg finals. That was after she defeated China's Zhou Qian in less than a minute in her first match and made quick work of Sweden's Elvira Kivi later in the semi-finals.

What more can you ask for?

Well, Soazo is hoping for a repeat.

Since Beijing 2008, she has competed in several prestigious international competitions. She won silver at the IBSA 2010 World Championships in Antalya, Turkey, after winning her first three rounds and then losing to China's Tong Zhou in the finals.

Because she suffers from high levels of myopia and astigmatism, it is difficult for Soazo to read or see objects in the distance. Her vision is quite blurry, and much of the time she can only spot shadows.

Soazo always begins her day at 5 a.m. with training and is continuously thankful for the paramount support she has been given by her family.

In fact, her father is her coach, so she never misses a beat with him.

With Venezuela's Paralympic hopes on her shoulders once again, Soazo does not want to settle for silver in London.

She will do everything in her power to slip that gold in her back pocket once again.

Ones to watch: Antonio Tenorio

Gold medallist in the last four Paralympic Games (Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), the Brazilian Judoka Antonio Tenorio is a Paralympic legend.

In 2009, the athlete was the theme of a documentary showed in Brazilian cinemas. The movie "B1", named after his class, shows how Tenorio, who lost his sight aged 13, became one of the most respected and successful Paralympians in Brazil.

Tenorio, who also won the gold at the Rio de Janeiro 2007 Parapan American Games, was the first Brazilian male athlete to qualify for London 2012 after coming third at the 2011 IBSA World Games, held in Antalya, Turkey.

For his fifth Paralympic Games' participation, the 40-year-old athlete expects to use all the experience and confidence gained in more than 30 years of Judo to reach the podium.

To achieve this goal, Tenorio, who currently competes in the 100 kg category has been training with the judokas of the Brazilian national team.

However, it's wrong who thinks London will be his last Games.

Tenorio received an invitation from the Brazilian Paralympic Committee to do its farewell participation at home, during the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Paralympic Games.

Tenorio most recently won silver at the 2011 Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, falling short to USA's Myles Porter in the fight for the top spot on the podium.

100 Days to Go

London 2012

London 2012 Paralympic Games Video Collection.

Archery

Archery for athletes with a disability

Ones to watch: Philippe Horner

Ones to watch: Danielle Brown

Goalball

Goalball was devised in 1946 in an effort to rehabilitate visually impaired veterans who returned from World War II. In 1976, it was then introduced to the world at the Paralympic Games in Toronto.

The sport, exclusively for athletes with visual impairments, consists of two halves of 12 minutes each and athletes wear blackout masks on a playing court.

The object of the game is to roll the ball into the opposite goal while opposing players try to block the ball with their bodies. Bells inside the balls help orient the players, indicating the direction of the on-coming ball. Therefore, while play is in progress, complete silence is required in the venue to allow the players to instantly react to the ball.

At the London 2012 Games, 132 athletes will compete in the sport.

One's to watch: Sweden's men's Goalball team

With a strong tradition in goalball and having reached the podium in the last three Paralympic Games, Sweden can definitely be pointed out as one of the favourites for the London tournament.

The Swedish men's team, which got its first Paralympic medal in goalball with a third place finish at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, nearly won the gold four years later in Athens but succumbed to Denmark in the final.

At the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, Sweden defeated the United States 5-2 in the bronze medal match.

The qualification for London 2012 came after a third place finish at the 2011 IBSA European Championships, defeating Turkey 5-2 in the bronze medal game.

The Swedish men went on to proof their quality at IBSA 2011 World Games with a silver medal, and are now eager to win their first Paralympic gold medal in 2012.

Rowing

Paralympic Rowing is commonly referred to as 'adaptive' Rowing, meaning that the equipment is adapted so the athlete can practise the sport rather than the sport being adapted to the athlete.

At London 2012, the programme will feature four medal events. These include two mixed-gender events -- the Coxed Four and Double Sculls -- plus the men's and women's Single Sculls. All the races will be held over a 1000m course.

Paralympic Rowing events at London 2012 will all begin with heats, with two boats from each heat qualifying directly for the final. All remaining boats will then compete in two repechage races, which offer a second chance to qualify for the final and row for gold.

Ones to watch: Tom Aggar

After an accident in 2005 that left him paralyzed from the waist down, Tom Aggar, a former Rugby player took up rowing as a means of keeping fit.

Now this 27 year-old British athlete from London has been under what he describes as "an amazing journey" dominating the rowing scene.

In 2007, at the World Rowing Championships in Munich, his first major international appearance, Aggar won the gold medal in the 1000m men's single scull in 5:13.13.

At the occasion Aggar beat two-time world champion, the Australian Dominic Monypenny, by two seconds and set a new world record.

One year later, debuting at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, Aggar won the men's single sculls gold medal in a time of 5:22.09.

In 2009 he defended his World Championship title setting a new world record at 4:51.48.

His unbeaten run had continued at the 2010 World Championships and at the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Lake Bled, Slovenia, where Aggar met the qualification criteria for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

To defend his Paralympic title competing at his home city event, Aggar is currently training six days a week, three sessions a day.

The intense work load aims at putting him at his best shape for the Games and avoiding surprises.

"It's easier chasing people who are on the top than maintaining yourself once you get there".

Shooting

Shooting has been part of the Paralympic Games since Toronto in 1976 and in 2008, is practiced in 59 countries. Shooting is a test of accuracy and control, in which competitors use pistols or rifles to fire a series of shots at a stationary target. Competitions at the Paralympic Games are open to all athletes with a physical disability. There are two classes of competition, wheelchair and standing. Athletes compete in Rifle and Pistol events from distances of 10, 25 and 50m, in men's, women's and mixed competitions. Shooting utilizes a functional classification system, which enables athletes from different disability classes to compete together either individually or in teams. Shooting is governed by the IPC and co-ordinated by the IPC Shooting Technical Committee following the modified rules of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). These rules take into account the differences that exist between Shooting for the able-bodied and Shooting for persons with a disability.

Ones to watch: Matt Skelhon

Matt Skelhon's skills on the shooting range have attracted just as much attention as his distinctive red mohawk.

The British shooter won gold in the Mixed Air Prone Rifle SH1 at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games just three years after losing the use of his legs following a car accident.

Since winning that gold, Skelhon purchased a new air rifle, has been training with his team at Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury and has risen to the top of the world rankings in both the men's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 and the mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 events.

He has also worked with a sport psychologist outside of the range, being that Shooting carries heavy mental component.

"For me, if my mind starts to wander, I just focus on my basics," said Skelhon, who spent his childhood shooting tin cans in his backyard.

"I just go back to my breathing and things like that."

The Peterborough native's biggest career disappointment was failing to reach the medal round in the standing air rifle at Beijing 2008.

He will hope to avenge that this summer.

Skelhon said he cannot help but be excited for not only the competition at London 2012, but also for the Opening Ceremony and potential experiences he could have in the athlete village.

Ones to watch: Jonas Jacobsson

In Paralympic Games history, there is only one other athlete who has won more medals than Sweden's 47-year-old Jonas Jacobsson.

The London 2012 Paralympic Games will be his ninth Games' appearance, and he will be looking to add to his collection of 16 gold, three silver and nine bronze medals.

Born and raised in Kolmarden, outside of Norrköping, Jacobsson was diagnosed with a paralysis shortly after birth.

However, the use of a wheelchair was not an obstacle to the boy, who got involved in tennis, basketball and swimming.

But then Jacobsson displayed an unusual talent at a sport his whole family was engaged in: Shooting.

At the age of 14 Jacobsson attended his first international competition and joined his first Paralympic Games in 1980, when was 15 years old.

At the Amhem 1980 Paralympic Games Jacobsson started his vast Paralympic medals collection with one silver and one bronze.

28 years later, in Beijing 2008, the Jacobsson won three gold in the three events he participated in.

In over 30 years competing in Shooting, Jacobsson's glorious career also includes 17 World and 22 European Championships titles.

Highly admired at his home country, in 2001 Jacobsson received The King's Medal, conceded by the Swedish Royal to citizens with special merits.

Spectators following shooting events at the London 2012 Paralympic Games will be watching a Paralympic legend.

Table Tennis

Table Tennis for athletes with a disability

Ones to watch: Natalia Partyka

Born without a right hand and forearm, Partyka has achieved more in sport than most people with two hands and two arms.

The 23-year-old Polish Table Tennis star has competed at both the Olympics and Paralympics, has won gold twice at the Paralympics, and is on the way to completing her studies at the University of Physical Education and Sport in Gdansk, Poland.

Her entire life has been mind over matter.

The youthful sensation started playing Table Tennis at 7 years old, when her older sister Sandra practiced with her. Then, just six months after beginning to train with a local club she competed in the Polish Championships for athletes with a disability.

Partyka can spin a Table Tennis ball so skilfully that even some of the world's best able-bodied athletes have trouble following the trajectory. Her performance is extra impressive considering most athletes use their free arm for not only serving, but also for maintaining balance while moving around the table and returning the ball.

She actually cradles the plastic ball in a nook at the edge of her forearm for the throw.

With several talented coaches surrounding her at the table, Partyka won her first international Table Tennis medal in 1999 before competing at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics at the astonishing age of 11. In 2004, she won gold in the singles event and silver in the team event at the Athens Paralympics, and then duplicated her results at Beijing 2008, where she also competed in the Olympic Games.

Most recently, she won the Para-Table Tennis European Championships in the women's singles Class 10 in October, not dropping a single game throughout the competition.

She has consistently been ranked No. 1 in the Paralympic world, and has cracked the top-50 in the Olympic world.

Now, with every competition, Partyka has a target on her back as the one to beat.

In London 2012, where she is aiming to compete once again in both the Olympics and Paralympics, it will be no different.

Wheelchair Rugby

Rugby for athletes with a disability

Ones to watch: USA Wheelchair Rugby team

Profiles

Paralympic athletes and others related to the movement

More on www.paralympicsport.tv