Wouldn't it be nice...if I stopped writing about the Olympics!?

I know, I know, I've written quite a few Olympic related blog posts but I have to make one amendment for this post and instead talk about the Paralympics. Mainly because it is AMAZING.

I've never really watched the Paralympics before and feel that it's been perhaps left at the wayside in terms of media coverage in previous years but these games are truly awe inspiring. The home of the Paralympics really has done the event proud. It is wonderful to see stadiums as packed with fanatic GB supporters as during the Olympics, cheering on our team as though there has been no break between the two events.

I have been a little disappointed with the Channel 4 coverage really only because of advert breaks! I know that that is what the channel does and they are clearly working around matches and races to slot in the ads in appropriate places but it was a shame the Opening Ceremony (yet another wonderfully bonkers display of true British-ness...apples everywhere...) was disrupted by them. However they have redeemed themselves, in my eyes anyway, with their website where there are great pages such as: http://paralympics.channel4.com/video/gb-medal-winners/index.html where every GB medal win is shown in full, although, yet again, you have to sit through more adverts to be able to watch the videos! If you missed them or haven't seen them yet I would definitely recommend the videos of Ellie Simmonds smashing the world record in her 400m freestyle event (yes I cried at the end) and, of course, Richard Whitehead's incredible T42 200m win. All the videos are fantastic though, another favourite which I watched live was Hannah Cockroft's gold, the list of amazing moments you need to see really could go on and on and on!

(Richard Whitehead's incredible victory. Image from The Telegraph website)

What I find really interesting with the games is that there are so many different classifications within every sport meaning there is so much to watch and be amazed by. I'm sure there are many pages like this all over the internet but my family and I have been referring to the BBC's 'A-Z of Paralympic Classification' which is very clear and informative on all the different classifications. All I can really say is that I think every single Paralympian is a truly inspiring and quite epic individual. The original Channel 4 tagline of 'Meet the Superhumans' couldn't have been more accurate!

London 2012 and Team GB have really lived up to the much used Twitter hash-tag #OurGreatestTeam with Olympians and Paralympians doing the country truly proud. I really have never felt more patriotic than I have during this year.

Bye for now :) 

xxxxx