Once again it is time to showcase another entry in our 2014 Guest Post Contest. This one comes from one of our British readers, Sue Casa. Please share your thoughts in the comments section to help us judge these entries.
The 2014 Winter Olympics will be happening this February, and after they are done, the Special Winter Olympics begin. For those of you who are unaware of the Special Olympics, it is an opportunity for alternately abled athletes to compete at the highest level against their peers without getting their arses kicked by competitors with, say, two legs.
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| The NBC logo needed just a slight modification |
There are few differences between the regular Winter Olympics and the Special Winter Olympics, but one of the most noticeable is the lack of spectators. Another difference is the use of extra 'props' to aid the athletes in their varying events. Specially modified equipment is allowed to assist the athletes like sit-skis, and also seeing eye dogs are permitted in most events. The inclusion of blind competitors in the biathlon is still being discussed and it is still unlikely that a decision will be made in time for them to compete in the 2014 games.
One of the most exciting events in the Special Winter Olympics is the Ski Jump and the favorite for gold in this discipline is Britain's Andy Capp. Great Britain has not been so excited about the ski jump since Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards in 1988.
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| Wheeeeeeeeeee ! ! ! |
Another hot contender for a gold medal is Ingeben Rodel from Sweden. He will be competing in the downhill luge event, for his adoptive county of Latvia. The luge is one of the fastest events in the Winter Olympics with racers approaching speeds of 90 miles per hour. The sled is usually steered by flexing the calf muscles against the runners to make subtle adjustments, but Rodel being legless from the mid thigh down does not have that luxury. His luge is steered by flexing either the left or right gluteus maximus (arse cheeks) to change direction while clenching both cheeks causes the luge to slow down. Talk about literally driving by the seat of your pants.
Ice skating is one of the more graceful and yet demanding events at the Winter Olympics. Each athlete requires enormous strength to pull off some of the spins turns and jumps and make them seem effortless. Only those who can combine all the elements will skate away with a medal. One young lady who has trained for years for the chance to take gold is Slovenian Slepi Drsalka. With the aid of her dog, Vodnik, she will be competing in the ladies blind Ice Skating event.
Make sure you tune in to watch these and many other amazing athletes competing in the Special Winter Olympics. They will be featured in special programming after the main Winter Olympics are done, probably tucked away in a quiet time-slot usually reserved for infomercials and low interest religious programming.
If you want to read more of our Guest Post entries then use the top menu to select Guest Post. You will be whisked away to a page listing all of our entries to date. Closer to the close of the contest we will be adding a poll so that you, the reader can have an input on which writer you think should win.
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| Ingeben Rodel - Legless Luger |
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| Slepi Drsalka - Blind Ice Skater |
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If you want to read more of our Guest Post entries then use the top menu to select Guest Post. You will be whisked away to a page listing all of our entries to date. Closer to the close of the contest we will be adding a poll so that you, the reader can have an input on which writer you think should win.
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