ParalympicSportTV

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.

One's to watch: USA women's Goalball team

The defending Paralympic Games champions will rekindle their rivalry with China at London 2012. The two squads battled for gold at Beijing 2008 and at the 2010 IBSA Goalball World Championships, where the USA dropped the final game and finished with the silver medal.

At the 2011 Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, USA cruised to gold, outscoring its opponents, 40-5, along the way.

Jen Armbruster will be the heart and soul of Team USA, as London 2012 will mark her sixth Paralympic Games appearance. She was the USA's flag bearer during the Opening Ceremony at Beijing 2008 and has been playing Goalball since 1990. The Barcelona 1992 Games were her first Paralympics.

She will be surrounded by plenty of talent in Lisa Banta, Jaclyn Barnes, Jessica Lorenz, Asya Miller and Robin Theryoung.

Miller may be the most well-known of that group, as she has competed in everything from Goalball and Athletics to Powerlifting and Karate. She won bronze in the Discus at the Sydney 2000 Games and competed in several Powerlifting World Championships before joining the USA's Goalball squad at the Athens 2004 Games.

Boccia

Ones to watch: Nigel Murray

Ones to watch: Greg Polychronidis

Wheelchair Rugby

Rugby for athletes with a disability

Ones to watch: USA Wheelchair Rugby team

Ones to watch: Australian Wheelchair Rugby Team

Developing the Paralympic Movement

A selection of films about the extraordinary development work that is moving the Paralympic Movement forward.

One of the International Parlaympic Committee's (IPC) ultimate goals is to increase the number of people with an impairment participating in sport at all levels from the grassroots through to the elite level and the Paralympic Games.

Athletes are the essence of the Paralympic Movement and it is the goal to empower Para athletes at all levels to enjoy the opportunity to practice sports.

This requires the development of a well functioning system of organizational structures, capable human resources and access to the necessary resources.

In this system the work and initiatives of International Federations, NPCs and Regions need to be synchronized to complement each other and to form a coherent plan.

To achieve this, the IPC's Development initiatives consist of seven strategic priorities:

Organizational Development

Develop and organize learning and training opportunities for National Paralympic Committees and International Federation staff in the areas of governance, management, leadership and sports promotion, including coaching, classification, medical and science.

Athlete Pathway

Develop programmes from the grassroots to the elite level boosting athlete participation and career development.

Elite Competitions

Work with appropriate bodies to organize and promote local, regional and international sporting competitions, and contribute to the sufficient classification opportunities for athletes.

Respect Fair Play

Ensure sports are practiced in a manner that protects the health of athletes, respect fair play and ethics including compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the IPC Classification Code.

Support International Federations

Ensure all have solid structure and technical competencies to ensure the credibility and consistent standards for their sport

Minimum Standards

Reinforce minimum eligibility, organizational standards and common services to all IPC members to reach compliance and commonly acknowledged service levels

Develop Strategies

Develop strategies to maintain the effective promotion of sports activities for Para-athletes from grassroots to elite level focusing on those countries, sports and organizations most in need.

Many of the IPC's Development initiatives, where sport is used as a tool for social development, are undertaken by the International Paralympic Foundation. A number of partnerships also help the IPC fulfill its strategic priorities.

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".

London 2012

London 2012 Paralympic Games Video Collection.

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.

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.

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