London 2012 Paralympic Games

A fortnight after the London 2012 Olympic Games come the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the premiere global event for athletes with disabilities. What the Paralympics might lack in coverage and funding, they make up for in drama, poignancy and inspiring feats. The 2012 Paralympics will be more compact than the Olympics, with the vast majority of events hosted around the Olympic Park in east London. Athletes compete in six main categories: amputee, wheelchair, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, visually impaired and les autres ('the others'), for those who don't fit in to any of the other groups. There are 20 sports, some, such as boccia, goalball and five-a-side-football, unique to Paralympics. Great Britain, one of the most successful Paralympic teams, will aim to top the 42 gold medals they won in Beijing 2008.