sport

From September 6th to September 17th, Beijing is once again hosting athletes from around the world. Over 4,200 athletes – from six different disability groups – from 148 countries are taking part in the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games. Not only are the sports divided into events, but the events are divided into different disability categories, to even out the playing field as much as possible. The slogan for this years Paralympic Games is the same as the one for the Olympics held just last month: “One World, One Dream”. (36 photos total)

2008 Summer Paralympic Games – The Big Picture – Boston.com.

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Some amazing pictures here. Make sure to read the captions on some of these.

[via kottke]

Speedo’s suit divides swimming world | U.S. | Reuters

CHICAGO (Reuters) – A revolutionary bodysuit has divided the world of swimming into the haves and the have nots just weeks before the Beijing Olympics, testing relationships between federations, athletes and rival suppliers.

Australian and U.S. swimmers and others wearing the Speedo LZR Racer suit have set 38 world records since its introduction in February. Australian Libby Lenton said it made her feel she was swimming downhill.

As the buzz has grown — an LZR is even on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in an exhibit on superheroes — swimmers using other equipment are weighing the merits of breaking existing contracts and switching to Speedo.

Nice bit of reading here on the wonders of modern technology and their interaction with the world of sport. Looks like there are now things one can both put into and onto the body to gain that final edge in competition.

Plus, the fact that this suit makes the swimmers look more like ninjas is just icing on the cake.