7 Paralympic Games

Paralympic Games written by Julie Ellis photographs by Lieven Coudenys

残奥会，Julie Ellis撰稿，Lieven Coudenys摄影

Many men were disabled in the Second World War. Some couldn't move their legs. It wasn't easy for them to push themselves around in wheelchairs. A doctor thought that wheelchair sports might teach the men how to use their wheelchairs. They could also become strong while having fun. In 1948, the first Wheelchair Games were played in England, at the same time as the London Olympic Games. There were two teams with sixteen players. Now there are thousands of wheelchair athletes from countries all over the world.

许多人在第二次世界大战中致残。 有些人无法移动他们的腿。 对他们来说，坐在轮椅上推着自己走动并不容易。 一位医生认为轮椅运动可以教会这些人如何使用轮椅。 他们也可以在玩乐的同时变得强壮。 1948年，第一届轮椅运动会与伦敦奥运会同时在英国举行。 有两个队，各有16名队员。 现在有成千上万来自世界各国的轮椅运动员。

In 1960, the first Paralympic Games were held in Rome, Italy. There were more than four hundred wheelchair athletes from twenty-three countries. At those Games, the most important thing wasn't to win, but to take part. More and more people with other disabilities thought they would also like to play sports. By 1976, there were athletes with six different disabilities at the Paralympics in Canada. They competed against athletes with the same disabilities so that everyone had a fair chance.

1960年，第一届残奥会在意大利罗马举行。 来自23个国家的400多名轮椅运动员参加了比赛。 在那些比赛中，最重要的事情不是取胜，而是参与。 越来越多的有其他残疾的人认为他们也喜欢运动。 到1976年，有六种不同残疾的运动员参加了加拿大的残奥会。 他们与同样残疾的运动员竞争，这样每个人都有公平的机会。

Now Paralympic Games are held every other year, with both Summer and Winter Paralympics. They follow right after the Olympic Games in the same place, with an Olympic torch and flags. Men and women from more than one hundred and thirty countries compete in many of the same sports. There are some outstanding athletes who take part in both the Winter and Summer Games.

现在残奥会每两年举行一次，包括夏季残奥会和冬季残奥会。 奥运会结束后，他们会在同一个地方跟随，手持奥运火炬和奥运旗帜。 来自130多个国家的男性和女性在许多相同的运动项目上竞争。 有一些优秀的运动员同时参加冬季和夏季奥运会。

Every country chooses its best athletes to send to these special games. The athletes work hard to be chosen, and they feel proud to wear their country's team uniform. People from eleven to sixty-six years old have competed in the Paralympic Games. For most athletes, it is not enough just to take part. They really want to win a medal for their own country. First prize is a gold medal, silver is for second prize, and third place wins a bronze medal.

每个国家都选择最好的运动员参加这些特殊的比赛。 运动员们为了被选中而努力工作，他们为穿上自己国家的队服而感到自豪。 参加残奥会的人年龄从11岁到66岁不等。 对大多数运动员来说，仅仅参加比赛是不够的。 他们真的很想为自己的国家赢得一枚奖牌。 第一名是金牌，第二名是银牌，第三名是铜牌。

There are only four sports at the Winter Paralympics. The most popular sport is ice sled hockey, which is a fast team sport for strong players. Each team has six players who sit in sleds. They race across the ice using special sticks to push the puck into the goal net. Many people like to watch this fast, exciting game.

冬季残奥会只有四个项目。 最受欢迎的运动是雪橇曲棍球，这是一项快速的团队运动，适合强壮的运动员。 每队有六名队员坐在雪橇上。 他们在冰上赛跑，用特殊的棍子把冰球推入球门。 许多人喜欢看这种快速、刺激的比赛。