Joe
The Paralympics is just a few days away with the lighting of the torch as the official commencement symbol but even as many look forward to this in Olympia, Greece, this will not to be the case PeakNews Online reports.
While the Olympic flame’s journey traditionally begins in Olympia, Greece, this is not the case for the Paralympic Games. The 2024 Paralympic Flame Relay will break from tradition, starting in late August in the small English town of Stoke Mandeville, rather than in Greece.
Reason is that Stoke Mandeville is the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. The decision to light the Paralympic flame in Stoke Mandeville is deeply rooted in history.
It was here that the Paralympic Games were born in 1948, conceived by Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, a German-British neurologist at the Stoke Mandeville Military Hospital. Guttmann’s vision was to create a sporting event to aid in the rehabilitation of soldiers and war victims recovering after World War II. This event, originally known as the “Stoke Mandeville Games,” laid the foundation for what would become the Paralympic Games.
In 1960, the event officially became the Paralympics, held in Rome just one week after the conclusion of the Olympic Games. To this day, the flame is lit in Stoke Mandeville as a tribute to Sir Ludwig Guttmann and the origins of the Paralympic movement.
The inaugural Paralympics featured remarkable athletes, including Britain’s Margaret Maughan, who secured the nation’s first Paralympic gold medal in archery at the Rome Games. Maughan’s success continued over the next four Paralympics, where she amassed a total of four gold and two silver medals.
Despite Maughan’s achievements, the title of the most decorated Paralympian belongs to American swimmer Trischa Zorn, who earned an astonishing 55 Paralympic medals, including 42 golds, between 1980 and 2004.
The Paralympic Games also showcase extraordinary team sports. A prime example is Brazil’s football 5-a-side team, led by Paralympic stars Richardinho and Jefinho. The team has dominated the event, winning five consecutive gold medals.
As the 2024 Paralympic Games approach, the journey of the flame from Stoke Mandeville to Paris will serve as a poignant reminder of the rich history and ongoing legacy of the Paralympic movement.
