Paralympics start on 7th September
@Laura
The Paralympics starts on 7th September 2016, is 7 Cups planning to open a room? If not, can they PLEASE do so?
'Paralympic Chat' would be a good title for the room.
Putting aside the sport stuff for a moment, lots amazing things came out of the Summer games, just a couple of them below:-
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/17/olympic-spirit-new-zealand-and-american-runners-help-each-other-after-collision
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/26/selfless-olympian-sells-silver-medal-to-help-boy-battling-cancer/
@rebel11 - I love this idea!
@Anomalia
I can't take any credit for it at all (although I would've have suggested a Olympic Room at some point, but the 'bright sparks' in Admin beat me to it), I was just hoping there would have been a continuation of the Olympic Room as the Paralympics is so close.
@rebel11
Great idea!
Looping in @Heather! We will discuss it! Love your enthusiasm!
@Laura
Laura, two days until the start of the Paralympics, have you made any progress with your discussions?
Thanks in advance.
@Laura - The games have started - It's very colourful and awesome. 
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/gallery/2016/sep/08/paralympics-opening-ceremony-in-pictures
@laura
I guess this isn't going to happen anytime soon.
I've probably underestimated the logistics needed to create a room. A new ceiling, new walls, new floor, new windows, new chairs, new TV, new table, etc.
Maybe aim for Paralympics 2020, 4 years away.
Paralympics can be a very harsh indeed, I watched a sprinter get disqualified for a false start, your might think 'Olympic spirit', he gets reinstated, a second chance, didn't happen. That is sooooo harsh, but Rules are Rules.
Still Team GB leading the way, behind China!!
Loads of World Records being broken!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/paralympics/rio-2016/medals/countries/greece
Paralympics continues, amazing performances from all the athletes, there are definitely more spectators.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/paralympics/rio-2016/medals/countries
@rebel11 - Thanks for keeping us updated! I wonder if since there isn't a paralympics room, there might be people interested in discussing it in one of the other rooms? Perhaps disability support or one of the general community rooms?
@Anomalia
Thanks for responding, for the Disability Room it could be overbearing, especially if people aren't feeling great. The Community Room has possibilities, but again it's not dedicated, there might be no interest, I might end up talking to myself. It finishes Sunday, so I'll just continue to watch and enjoy it!! Thanks Again!!
@rebel11 - one of my coworkers told me about this, but apparently the top 4 finishers in the 1500m were all faster than the gold medalist in the Olympics. WOW! :)
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/paralympics/paralympics-2016-abdellatif-baka-four-1500m-runners-finish-faster-olympic-gold-medal-winning-time-a7239821.html
@Anomalia
That's amazing, the first 4 Paralympic athletes in the race had a quicker time then the winner in the Summer Olympics, by 1.7 seconds. That is so remarkable I don't think it's ever happened before. The guys are visually impaired. But that's right up there with what has been a very special Paralympics!! I'm getting withdrawl sysmptoms already!!
The paralympics have pretty much level footing with the able bodied in NZ. So much so that amongst friends, family, and I we're discussing the paralympian performances even more so than the able bodied.
It was cool. During the able bodied Olympics my daughter's school had an Olympics day during which the kids would dress as their favourite athletes. We've come a long way in the past decade when so many kids have their role models coming from our paralympians (my daughter went as Sophie Pascoe - NZ paralympics swimmer).
It's compulsory viewing for me each evening. Loving it ☺
@Roadie
New Zealand are doing so well. This guy is amazing, Liam Malone, he's very fast, says he wants to act, do stand up and loads of other stuff, he's very inspiring. Sounds like your daughter has bitten the sports bug!! Happy watching and discussing!!
@rebel11
I was watching his interview the other night and he's really been bitten by the nerves in the Games. His antics are as much about getting himself gee'd up and the crowd into it as anything.
His performance in the 100m was amazing. I used to be a sprinter and was a terrible starter so ended up blasting through the field from the 30m onwards. To go from 6th to 2nd was pretty awesome in my book.
He also talked about competing against Sophie Pascoe a lot when he was younger (she beat him in everything, he said). Was quite cool to see them all coming through.
Yeah, we're doing really great in the Paralympics with 3.97 medals per million people of population (1st). The Netherlands are 2nd at 2.78 medals per million. Pretty awesome. (edit: we were 4th behind Grenada, Bahamas, and Jamaica in the able-bodied Olympics).
Loving it