I seldom watch the paralympic games. I'm not interested in their sports, but this is not the single reason. The long and short of it is that I have become too sorrowful to bear seeing the games. Even if someone set a record high in some games - of course, it's surely joyous - his/her record is, in many cases, created by setting categories. Their record might be changed by their tools or categories. I'm totally indifferent to their records, but I admire their tremendous effort. I'm not confident to continue to exercise like them with physical handicaps.
On the other hand, I have another paradoxical viewpoint. I cannot help comparing handicapped athletes with other people with disabilities. People with disabilities will have hardships for living itself. They must have been struggling to make a living. Once a handicapped athlete rises to fame, he/she would get some financial support and also get exempted to work, then he/she would be able to concentrate on his/her sports. I had been seeing ordinary handicapped people in my daily life as a health care worker, who couldn't afford to start with their favorite sports. How do gold medals glitter among such a few number of players.
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