Biography of any handicapped sports personalities

Anyone who watches the Paralympics knows the vast number of athletes with disabilities who, undeterred by their physical impediments, strive every day to push boundaries and defy expectations.

These athletes, though far from being the only sportspeople to amaze and inspire, are true icons and constant reminders never to give up.

1. Bethany Hamilton - Surf Star and Movie Star

Bethany is a well-known professional surfer who lost an arm in a shocking shark attack at the young age of 13. Though this would be enough to put most off returning to the water for life, Bethany took on the waves again just weeks after her ordeal.

With the help of a specially adapted surfboard, Bethany went on to compete in national and international competitions, fearlessly taking on able-bodied athletes. Her story was so inspiring that she became the subject of a Hollywood movie, Soul Surfer, starring Helen Hunt.

Bethany is not only inspiring because of what she achieved in her sport but also because of her bravery and unwillingness to give up the sport she loves. Her strength of character given her very young age at the time of the tragedy makes it even more inspiring.

2. Jim Abbott - New York Yankees Legend

Jim Abbott became a Major League Baseball star despite being born without his right hand. Citing his disability as a motivation to work harder, Abbott finished his baseball career having played for the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees as well as pitching a no-hitter in 1993.

Jim Abbott is especially inspiring in that he was a professional athlete long before it was common to see people with disabilities in mainstream sports. His successful career has been an inspiration—a sporting miracle—to many.

3. Alana Nichols - Multisport Legend

Alana Nichols is a three-time Paralympic gold medal winner who has taken part in three separate sports in the Paralympic games.

When she was 17 years old, Alana suffered a devastating spi

Every four years, some of the world’s best disabled athletes compete in 23 spectacular sporting events at the Paralympic Games! These Paralympic athletes are raring to go, so come on gang, let’s meet some of the youngest sporting superstars…

PSSSSSST!

Don’t miss the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, running from the 24th of August to the 5th of September!

Ellie Robinson

Aged just 19, awesome Ellie from Team GB won gold and bronze at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, for her sport of S6 classification swimming. After this awesome achievement, Ellie was awarded an MBE by the Queen – and won BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year, too! She’s going for glory again in Tokyo this year – yay!

FUN FACT!

Paralympic stars have a range of disabilities, and so to make it fair, the athletes are given different ‘classifications’ for their sports. This allows people with a similar level of impairment to compete against one another. Smart!

Cody Everson

When competitive Cody was paralysed aged 15 by a neck injury he received while playing rugby, he decided that being in a wheelchair wasn’t going to stop him keeping up with the game! Despite being just 23 years old, Cody is now co-captain of the New Zealand ‘Wheel Blacks’ Paralympic rugby team. They’re hoping to win Team NZ a shiny gold medal at the Games this year. Good luck, Cody!

FUN FACT!

Wheelchair rugby is q

This is a list of athletes who have competed in both the Paralympic and the Olympic Games.

History

Long before the Paralympic Games, American gymnast George Eyser, who had a wooden leg, competed at the 1904 Summer Olympics, and won three gold medals, two silver and a bronze, including a gold in the vault, an event which then included a jump over a long horse without aid of a springboard. There have also been other amputee medallists at the Olympic Games prior to the creation of the Paralympics. Olivér Halassy of Hungary, whose left leg was amputated below the knee, won three medals (two gold and a silver) in water polo, in 1928, 1932 and 1936. Károly Takács, also of Hungary, won gold in shooting at the 1948 Summer Olympics. His right hand had been "shattered by a grenade" ten years earlier, and he had taught himself to shoot with his left. Deaf Hungarian fencerIldikó Újlaky-Rejtő won two individual medals (a gold and a bronze) and five team medals at the Olympics between 1960 and 1976. She never competed at the Deaflympics, as fencing was never part of the event's programme.

Several athletes with disabilities have competed in both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

New Zealander Neroli Fairhall was the first paraplegic competitor in the Olympic Games. After competing in the 1980 Summer Paralympics, Fairhall won gold when archery was held during the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. Another athlete, visually impaired Canadian Brian McKeever, was selected to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, but was ultimately set aside by his coach. However, Brian's brother, Robin McKeever, who has won several medals at the Winter Paralympics as Brian's sighted guide, participated in cross-country skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Deaf South African swimmer Terence Parkin won a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke at t

Jiří Ježek is one of the most successful handicapped athletes in the world history. He is six times the Paralympics winner and also the worl champion. He competed with intact athletes on a regular basis and in 2013 attended the famous Tour de France race. Jiří is also a big supporter of the Emil Foundation and the Emil Open. Currently he is devoting himself to lectures and this way he is motivating many, not only disabled athletes.

According to Jiří Ježek, big international events are a big motivation for young disabled athletes. They are able to compare to athletes of their age from different countries, and show the energy they are putting into sport during the year. „Of course, it is also an amazing opportunity to make new friends and share the experience with overcoming obstacles that disabled people come accross in their lives,“ he explains with a smile.

It is the very first chance for some young athletes to go abroad. „Often this is the big lure for them. The games can contribute to revealing of a big talent, and to motivating young disabled athletes to keep working on themselves,“ says Jirka, and that is why he gladly supports Emil Open every year.

Jiří Ježek is a huge inspiration for both beginners and more experienced cyclists thanks to his successes. „Of course, I am really happy I can be a role model for young athletes, because at the beginning of my career I myself learned from and got motivated by my predecessors. So the circle is closing and now I can pass my experience further,“ he says.

He earned the respect of the sporting world not only by the number of Paralympic medals he holds, but also because he competed with intact athletes. He believes the limits are only where people want to see them and where they seek them. „Sociaty is very open and helpful towards the disabled people and disabled athletes no