Russian Paralympians determined to conquer Beijing

They are all of a different age and race but share a common grief of disability. For these people sport is something that can change the world.

“Like our coaches say - we’re not training only sportsmen, not only sports skills, but we’re first of all training personalities. Fencing helps us grow a stronger character and make us very determined. It makes us want to win over any hardships,” says Sergey Frolov from the Russian Paralympic saber and foil fencing team.

When Vladimir Poleshuk was young, he liked fencing and seriously thought about a sports career.

He even won several regional competitions before an illness changed his life and meant he had to use a wheelchair forever.

But after 27 years of life as disabled, he learned that there is a para fencing sport in Russia.

“It’s like a taste of childhood. This is something I’ve been missing very much. Of course I worked hard and did some training in these 27 years, but now I’m back to where I belong,” he said.

The Russian Paralympics team unites 140 athletes from across Russia in different sports - from weightlifting to football.

Almost $US 44 billion had been spent on events in China and the organisational committee says that the Paralympics is a chance for disabled people to integrate into society.

“The world has very many people with disabilities. There are 87 million in China alone. We in Beijing have done our best to ensure that the Paralympics will be held at the highest level - and what’s most important, after the Games finish, I’m sure more disabled people will go into the streets and feel themselves a part of society,” said Tang Xiaoquan from the Beijing organisational committee.

The Russian Para Olympians haven’t been seen as frontrunners for the last decade, partly because sport for the disabled is only gathering pace in the country.

But rather unexpectedly the Russian Winter Paralympics team won the games in Torino, thus setting an example for their summer colleagues.

“We know that our team isn’t big - only 140 athletes. But we’ll do everything so that at the next Games Russia would have a representation in all Paralympics sports,” said Vitaly Mutko, Russian Sports Minister.

The Russian para athletes have set a whole string of European and world records in different sports during the last couple of years and they will certainly want to show themselves as a serious force in Beijing.

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