Jessica Long: Amazing Paralympic Swimmer

Jessica Long is set to compete in the Beijing Paralympics this year. Jessica Long competed in her first Paralympics in Athens 2004 when she was at the mere age of 12. The 12-year old phenom was the youngest member of the Paralympic Team in 2004. In Athens, at age 12, Jessica came home with three gold medals and set two world records. Jessica beat the odds in Athens, having only swum competitively only a bit over a year. In 2007, Jessica won the Sullivan Award, winning over Michael Phelps.

Jessica Long was originally born in Siberia, Russia. She was born missing the bones in both of her lower legs. She grew up in an orphanage after being given up for adoption. At 13 months, a couple from Baltimore, Maryland adopted her. Her legs were later amputated below the knee. Jessica originally started swimming in her grandma’s pool. Jessica has swam and trained in the same pool as Michael Phelps, as well.

Long’s accomplishments include holding 24 American Records and 16 World Records. Pretty amazing when she is only 16 years old! At the International Paralympic Commitee World Championships in South Africa in 2006 she won nine gold medals and set five world records. Jessica Long was the 2006 Paralympian of the Year. She just may be the next Michael Phelps! GO JESSICA LONG!!!

Amazing Paralympians Profiles

Lee Carter will be on the Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Team representing Canada. Take a moment to think just how hard wheelchair tennis can be. Not only does one have to keep their mind on the tennis ball’s position as it is being hit by the opponent but the player once finding the ball, has to wheel their wheelchair to get to the ball and hit it. GO LEE CARTER!!!

Alison Jones is a cyclist and skiier. She will be representing the United States on the U.S Paralympic Cycling Team in Beijing this year. We hope you do well. Keep up the energy and we hope you have fun and maybe come back with a medal! GO ALISON JONES!!!

In the Spotlight: Paralympic Athletes

Jesse Karamazin – will be competing on the Paralymic Rowing Team in the adaptive 4 coxswain division.
Alison Jones – will be competing in her 4th Paralympic Games on the Paralympic Cycling Team.
Lee Carter – will competing on the Canadian Wheelchair Tennis team.

Paralympics Acknowledged

Over the last few Olympics, the Paralympics were rarely mentioned in commercials during the Games. This year, however, in the Visa commercials, Visa states, “We are the proud sponsors of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.” GO PARALYMPICS!!! WE CAN DO IT!!! WE ARE STRONG!!!

Thank you NBC for acknowledging us this year! We will make the WORLD proud.
Good luck to all Paralympians competing this year, to those returning and to first-timers!!!
We have pride in you and we know you can do it!!!

U.S Paralympic Sports (Some Excluded)

The news is in. Apparently, there are some Olympic Sports that will be omitted from the Paralympics this year. There will be no gymnastics or judo teams in the Paralympics this year. Please stay tuned as the days get closer to when I will be leaving for Beijing!!!

U.S Paralympic Swim Team

The U.S Paralympic Swim Team announced their captain for Beijing: GO TEAM USA!!!

For the women:
Cherly Angelelli (Michigan)
Erin Popovich (Montana)

For the men:
Dave Denisten (Colorado)
Jarrett Perry (Kansas)

Coach Popovich brought home seven gold medals in Athens in 2004.

The U.S Paralympic Swimming Team consists of 38 members and have great confidence for the Beijing Games. “I think we’ve got a great gropu of captains,” – U.S Paralympics Team Head Coach Julie O’Neill.

Beijing Olympics Start!!!

The Olympics hit off to a great start yesterday at 8pm on 8/8/08!!! The Opening Ceremonies I would say, and many would agree, were the best in history!!!

Swimming Events:

Men’s 400m Individual Medley (Heat 1,2,3,4 and Final)
Women’s 100m Butterfly (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 400m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5 and Final)
Womens’s 400m Individual Medley (Heat 1,2,3,4,5 and Final)
Men’s 100m Breaststroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 4×100m Freestyle Relay (Heat 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 100m Backstroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 200m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 100m Breaststroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 100m Backstroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 400m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6 and Final)
Men’s 4x 100m Freestyle Relay (Heat 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 200m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 200m Butterfly (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 200m Individual Medley (Heat 1,2,3,4,5, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 100m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 200m Butterfly (Heat 1,2,3,4,5, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 200m Breastroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 4x 200m Freestyle Relay (Heat 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 100m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 200m Backstroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 200m Breaststroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 200m Individual Medley (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 4x 200m Freestyle Relay (Heat 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 50m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 800m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5 and Final)
Men’s 100m Butterfly (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 200m Backstroke (Heat 1,2,3,4,5, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Women’s 50m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12, Semifinal 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 1500m Freestyle (Heat 1,2,3,4,5 and Final)
Women’s 4x 100m Medley Relay (Heat 1,2 and Final)
Men’s 4x 100m Medley Relay (Heat 1,2 and Final)

Those are all the swimming events!!! Gymnastic events and diving posted soon, but remember our focus is the Paralympics!!!

Chinese Luck!!! 8/8/08

Has anyone taken notice of the day the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008 start?
That would be: August 8, 2008.
8/8/08. Coincidence? Not. The Chinese are strong believers in luck. They believe that the number 8 is one of the luckiest numbers. Hence, the Olympics being held in Beijing will start on August 8, 2008. 8/8/08.

Beijing Fast Food

This is a link to a slideshow of Beijing Fast Food. If you’re like me, after reading this, you may consider bringing your own food if you ever visit China. Brace yourself, because this food may not be what you expect!

Some Chinese fast food:

-dog brain soup
-dog liver and veggies
-goat lungs
-starfish in shark oil
-seahorses on a stick
-dung beetles on a stick

Beijing Fast Food

Paralympic Games: Games vs. Communism

I thought it would be wise to inform you of a specific problem that arose when nations had to decide where this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games would be held. There was a big conflict over whether the Games should be held in Beijing. Obviously, Beijing was decided as the host for this years Olympics and Paralympics. Today, people debate over whether it is right to hold the Olympics in Beijing, China. China is currently a Communist country under the control of Hu Jintao. China has been controlling the land of Tibet and giving theTibetan people little freedom. Many Tibetans are being mistreated and harmed. This conflict is due to China’s cruelty against them. Thus, Tibetans havbe started revloting and this has resulted in many killings. The question on some people’s minds was: Are we supporting China’s treatment of the Tibetan people by hosting the Olympic/Paralympic Games in Beijiing? For many people, this is indeed the case. However, President Bush has stated in a variation of words that the Games are not political, but just games. Some countries have wished not to participate in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games in Beijing because feel that their prescence at these ceremonis would give the idea that they were supporting China’s treatment of the Tibetans.