The Kanchi Blog

Posted on

30th July 2010

in

Disability

Everyone is talking about Ireland’s Jason Smyth , not only is he the first paralympic athlete to compete in the European Athletics Championships but he has topped off his achievement by finishing fourth in the 100m semi-final.

Jason is 23 years old, from Derry and is partially sighted due to a disease called Stargardt, a genetically inherited degeneration that causes progressive loss of vision and can lead to virtual blindness.

We would like to congratulate Jason on making a name for himself among the world class sprinters. He was quoted in the Belfast Telegraph saying:

“I don’t mind what way people remember me but I’m coming here and performing well as a mainstream senior international and I’m trying to move forward to qualify for London 2012.

At the same time I am a Paralympic athlete, so you’ve also got to look at that as well I suppose”

Is the gap beginning to narrow between Olympic and Paralympic athletes? Are athletes with disabilities starting to get recognised for their talent rather than their disability?