Of course, it isn’t particularly proper to discuss money matters in relation to the Olympics or Paralympics. However, it is noteworthy to mention the significant differences in the cash prizes awarded to medalists from both Games by certain countries.
Among the highest rewards for gold winners at the Paralympics, the top ten are as follows: Singapore leads with €343,000, followed by Israel (€247,000), Malaysia (€208,000), Hong Kong (€174,000), Spain (€95,000), France (€80,000), Brazil (€42,000), South Korea (€40,000), the United States (€34,000), and Germany being last at €20,000.
For instance, when Yip Pin Xiu secured gold for Singapore in the 100m backstroke S2 category at the Paralympics, she earned a hefty €343,000. Ironically, she would have received twice that amount had she accomplished that victory at the Olympics, with Singapore and Hong Kong identified as the worse culprits in this difference, as per CNBC’s research. Interestingly, the remaining countries in the top ten provide equal prize money for both events.
In a previous statement, Yip mentioned that for her, the prize money isn’t really the main concern, but rather the underlying message that individuals with disabilities are perceived to be unequal.
Clearly, the experiences and sacrifices of Paralympians on their path to competing at the highest levels of their sports cannot be understated. Often, though, the immense sacrifices and support provided by their loved ones are not acknowledged enough.
Consider, for instance, the other portion of British cyclist Blaine Hunt’s life – the man who bagged a silver medal in the men’s C4-5 1,000m time trial last Friday. “My partner shares the bedroom with three bicycles. At least one is parked in the living room, and about five others in the garage,” he reported. His grandmother passed away before he traveled to Paris but the funeral has been delayed, so he can attend. “You tend to miss such important moments,” Hunt noted. Clearly, he has two extremely understanding women in his life.
Expect a strong competition
On last Thursday, Jodie Grinham from Britain performed excellently in the archery’s Individual Compound Open competition’s ranking round. The 31-year old athlete scored her personal best and came in fourth amongst the 28 participants. This achievement led her directly to the quarter-finals where she’ll compete against Kseniya Markitantova from Poland on Saturday.
What makes her achievement remarkable is the fact that Grinham had spent the previous weekend in a maternity hospital, as she’s seven months pregnant. She had concerns about her baby’s health, but thankfully, everything was fine. Thus, she’s all set to face Markitantova in the upcoming match. However, she’s hoping that her baby doesn’t decide to make an entrance during her game. “My teammates have made a few wisecracks about my waters breaking on the podium,” she shared with The Athletic. “That would be quite a spectacle,” she added, laughing.
An irony indeed
You would expect that the people at the Paralympics would be the most aware of accessibility issues for wheelchairs. Nonetheless, when disability advocate, Anna Landre, tried to access a viewing area in Paris that displayed the opening ceremony on a giant screen, her attempt was thwarted. The reason being, in her words, “the wheelchair platform was completely occupied by people who did not need wheelchairs.” She tweeted, “The irony is laughable.” It’s such an absurd situation, one might think it was fabricated.
Inspirational Quote of The Day
Throughout my life, I have been constantly watched, as I was not like the others. My distinctiveness has always been the centre of attention for both children and adults, largely due to the fact I was born without legs. But I’ve managed to shift those perspectives… Now I attract attention as a proud owner of two Paralympics gold medals.” – Trevon Jenifer, who is currently aiming for a third victory with the wheelchair basketball team from the United States.
As for the Refugee Paralympic Team during the Paris games, the team featured eight athletes. They hailed from various countries including Iran (three athletes), Afghanistan (two athletes), Syria, Cameroon, and Colombia.