Olympic Wheelchair Tennis: 1-8 September 2012
[INFORMATION]
World No1 Esther Vergeer (NED) is unbeaten in more than 450 matches, one of the longest winning streaks in any sport. Her last loss was in January 2003.
Venue: Olympic Park – Eton Manor
Draws: Women’s Singles – Men’s Singles – Quad Singles – Women’s Doubles – Men’s Doubles – Quad Doubles.
London 2012 – Wheelchair Tennis: official website.
Australian Paralympic Committee – Wheelchair Tennis: official website.
Australian Athletes With A Disability – Wheelchair Tennis: official website.
International Tennis Federation – Wheelchair: official website – Facebook page – Twitter account.
[VIDEOS]
Wheelchair Tennis Venue for London 2012
About the rules…
Esther Vergeer (World #1) vs Rafael Nadal (World #1). ABN AMRO 2009
Go Aussies!
SamStosurFans.com and @SamStosurFans (Twitter) will support the Aussie Wheelchair Tennis and will inform you about their results.
Wish Ben, Adam, Daniela and Janel to play their best tennis: Good Luck mates! 
APC names Paralympic wheelchair tennis team:
Ben Weekes – Adam Kellerman – Daniela Di Toro – Janel Manns
Photos: Australian Paralympic Committee
Men’s singles / doubles
Ben Weekes (27 yrs old) – Rankings: S#19 D#17: profile – statistics – official website – Twitter account
Adam Kellerman (22 yrs old) – Rankings: S#23 D#22: profile – statistics – official website – Facebook
Kellerman set for first Paralympics [Tennis Australia, 23 August]
Women’s singles / doubles
Daniela Di Toro (37 yrs old) – Rankings: S#6 D#39: profile – statistics
Di Toro ready to roll [Tennis Australia, 20 August]
Janel Manns (46 yrs old) – Rankings: S#41 D#30: profile – statistics
London 2012: Paralympic Games
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games are the fourteenth Summer Paralympic Games. They will take place between 29 August and 9 September, as governed by the International Paralympic Committee and have officially been opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday night.
Australian wheelchair rugby star Greg Smith is the Flag Bearer for the Australian Paralympic Team.
[INFORMATION]
International Paralympic Committee: official website – Twitter account – Facebook page
London 2012 Paralympics: official website – Twitter account
Australian Paralympic Committee: official website
Australian Paralympic Team: Twitter account – Facebook page.
TV coverage in Australia
[VIDEOS]
London 2012: the official London 2012 Youtube Channel
Paralympic SportTV: the International Paralympic Committee Youtube Channel
Australian Paralympic Committee: Youtube Channel
Australian Paralympic Team: Promo
2012 Australian Paralympic: Team Launch
Aussie Team: Paralympic Village Welcome Ceremony
Beijing 2008 (25’16″): Paralympic closing ceremony – London 2012 bus
Imagine…
Did the organizers send a message to the Olympic and Paralympic Committees? I hope so…
“Paralympic Games“? Why “para-“? When I check on the etymological dictionary, I can read: “Para- before vowels, par-, prefix meaning “alongside, beyond, altered, contrary,” from Ancient Greek para- from para (prep.) “beside, near, from, against, contrary to.” [Online Etymology Dictionary, Wiktionary Encyclopedia].
Athletes are Athletes. Olympics are Olympics. “Olympics” and “Paralympics”: two symbols, two flags, two flames, two anthems, two events… I do not understand why.
The Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open do not make any differences and include the Wheelchair Tennis competitions with the others. But unfortunately this year, we can read on the US Open website:
“There will be no 2012 US Open Wheelchair Tennis competitions due to the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, England, beginning September 1. US Open Wheelchair Tennis competitions, both singles and doubles events in the men’s, women’s and quad divisions, will return for the 2013 US Open.”
Can we imagine the 2012 US Open “able-bodied” competitions being cancelled as well? Certainly not… If there was only one event, it would have never happened.
The values of the Olympic Games are: Hope, Excellence, Respect, Harmony, Friendship/Fair play, Teamwork…
“You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
(…) And the world will live as one.”
- John Lennon (1971)
I have a dream…
I have a dream… I see four athletes, two men and women, heading into the Olympics Stadium for the last relay: two running with their legs, two running with their wheelchair, holding an Olympic torch… I see them lighting up the flame together at the same time…
I am sure this day will come soon…, and then we will be able to say that Humanity will have made a big step forward, living fifteen days all together in peace and harmony.
HOPE IS ALLOWED…
Paralympics and Olympics merger ‘possible after 2020′
The Olympics and Paralympics Together Through 2020
London 2012 – Heroes’ Games – Opening Ceremony
Thanks to the International Paralympic Committee, the Australian Paralympic Committee and the Australian Athletes With a Disability, for their help and support.
