The Paralympics are starting on Wednesday!
Hopefully there will be as big a buzz as there was for the Olympics.
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Is Pakistan participating?
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Yes, and there is even chance of a gold medal in long jump by Haider Ali as he got Silver in Beijing.
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Opening Ceremony starting in very soon!
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Pakistan just came in wearing quite nice suits!
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Uzzy you will probably be the only one posting in this thread
I have next to no interest in Paralympics - sad but true!
keep us updated on the events :k:
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^ That's a shame. :/
I've heard they are not even broadcasting it in USA!
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As one Pakistani Paralympic athlete bows out, the other sets sight on gold
http://dawncompk.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/naeem-masih-london-670.jpg?w=670&h=350
Dejected Pakistani Paralympic athlete Naeem Masih at the Olympic Park after his 1500m heats – Photo courtesy National Paralympic Committee
KARACHI: Naeem Masih, one of Pakistan’s two representatives at the London 2012 Paralympics, was unable to qualify for the main round for the men’s 1500m – T46 finals on Saturday.
Masih finished second from last in the heats for the event, with a time of 4.51.35 minutes and 54 seconds behind the top-finisher Samir Nouioua of Algeria.
The 25-year-old from Kasur said he was extremely dejected at his failure to progress but officials of the Pakistani Paralympic team backed him to improve his performance.
“Naeem Masih came to us two months ago and started training for the Paralympics, so it was a big challenge for him,” officials told Dawn.com from London.
“We have very high hopes from him for the upcoming Paralympic events. We are going to provide him the opportunity to train and be ready in time for the second Asian Para Games in 2014 to be held in South Korea.”
Masih, who had been running on muddy fields of rural Punjab before signing up with the National Paralympic Committee, found the track at London’s Olympic Park very hard – a problem that other Paralympic athletes have also complained about at the Games.
“When you have been running on muddy fields and then on the old, worn out tracks we have in Pakistan, it comes as a big shock to your body when you run on hard and new tracks,” officials explained.
Pakistan’s hopes for a Paralympic medal are now pinned on their Beijing 2008 hero Haider Ali, who will participate in two events. His first, the 100m – T38 race is scheduled for later tonight (2105 BST) while the second, the long jump, is scheduled for Wednesday, September 5.
Officials confirmed that while Haider is set to participate in the 100m race tonight, he will not be competing for a medal, as he wants to maintain full fitness for the long jump.
As one Pakistani Paralympic athlete bows out, the other sets sight on gold | DAWN.COM
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Looking forwards to watching the long jump tonight if I'm home in time as I'm off to the ExCel centre to watch table tennis, boccia and powerlifting!
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Haider Ali got three no jumps. Poor him. :/
I still had a good day. Met a few athletes. Saw the boccia, table tennis, wheelchair fencing, Iran getting a new powerlifting record and 1 set of GB's match against Iran in sitting volleyball.
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Went to the wheelchair rugby final match today where Australia won gold.
Also bumped into Haider Ali outside and got his autograph. Also got filmed by National Paralympic Committee of Pakistan cameras!