Paralympics: 10 lesser-spotted things

Russian gymnast Anastasia Grishina at London 2012 Olympics



No gymnastics







Why don't commentators introduce all the athletes?





You can come second and set a new world record

Arnu Fourie (R)








Limbs aren't always an advantage

Swimmer's prosthetic leg is moved by official during swimming heat




Why aren't deaf people in the Paralympics?



  • The first games, known as The Silent Games, in 1924
  • Held every four years, the year after the Paralympics
  • Around 2,500 people compete
  • Competitors from 77 nations, with about 20 sports available





Paralympics coverage online

Natasha Baker, Paralympic torch,  Arnaud Assouman





Baskets the same height in Olympic and Paralympic basketball





Why is the ball allowed to bounce twice in wheelchair tennis?

Andy Lapthorne of Great Britain playing wheelchair tennis


The second bounce can be inside or outside the tramlines.




Welders on the bench




Sitting volleyball buttocks rule

Boris Johson and Barbara Windsor Boris Johnson and Barbara Windsor try out sitting volleyball




Toilets for guide dogs

Dog relief area

Reporting by Jon Kelly and Vanessa Barford

A selection of your comments is published below.

An able-bodied man won a gold medal in the Women's 100m. The reason for this is he was a guide runner for a blind athelete and the rules say that if the athlete they are guiding wins a gold, so do they.

Stephen Sharp, London

Please stop abusing the phrase "lesser spotted". A "lesser spotted" animal is not an animal that is rarely seen but a small animal with spots, to be contrasted with a "great spotted" or "greater spotted" variety of the same genus. By "lesser-spotted" I believe you mean "less-spotted", which is hardly felicitous anyway.

Sean McMahon, Aberdeen

Being deaf is not an impairment to competing in the Olympics in most events. I have competed against several deaf competitors in athletics over my career. For timed sprint events where reaction time to a starting sound is normal it is a minor impairment. It can be overcome by visual start equipment (this was done at the last IAAF athletics world championships for a deaf 400m runner). But for endurance sports and field events, being deaf is not an impairment.

Kevin Morice, Aberdeen

Why are there no paralympians with Downs Syndrome?

Andrew Wilkins, West Wellow

The Paralympic torch is silver not gold. This is ridiculous - it's the colour of second place.

Stevi McEwan, Grangemouth, Scotland

The wheelchair users in the athletics stadium regularly tap the front wheels on their wheelchairs. Why is this?

Geoff Crane, High Wycombe

How do armless swimmers 'touch' to end the race?

Rena Brick, Bishops Stortford

The podiums are different. In the paralympics the podium has no steps and is wheelchair friendly.

Jon Light, London

During Tuesday morning's session one of the blind long jumpers entertained the crowd by getting them to clap, then hushing them for his run up, then got out a Chinese flag, which he waved prompting cheers from the audience. When they quietened down he did a massive jump, which unfortunately was a no jump. One of the most entertaining moments of the Paralympics so far, indeed of the whole games.

John Airey, Peterborough

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