A display of one of the many gorgeous flower displays in the village.
The is the adorable mascot for the Paralympic Games. Yes, it is a pink cow. Before every finals, 3 of these blow up cows jumped around on deck...and occasionally fell down...and couldn't get back up. After Closing Ceremonies, at least 100 of these cows stormed the floor of the stadium where the wheelchairs were sitting. We had no idea what their purpose was, but they kept running into us and running away. They would also begin to deflate so volunteers would run up to them and herd them off the track to get blown back up...my teammates and I were literally crying we were laughing so hard.
Me warming up in the end lane before prelims of my 50 freestyle.
Parading out for finals! I love the final warm-up outfits.
Waving on the big screen!
The packed 91,000 National Stadium during the Ceremonies and some of the performances.
A special Thank You to all of you who were interested in my blog!
Now I am back in Boston beginning my search for a 1-year job (please email me if you have any suggestions!) before starting Stanford Law in the fall of '09.
Thank you again for following the 2008 Paralympic Games!
7 comments:
Beth -
Welcome home! How did you fare ultimately in your Paralympic Swim competetions? I did not fully understand where you placed amongst all swimmers upon completing your competition.
Maureen McKinnon-Tucker e-mailed me yesterday (I forwarded it to you) and mentions you and she lodged in the same building during your collective Beijing Experience. She left you notes or messages to try to meet you, but you were unavailable. I hope you both meet someday soon.
I suggested to Maureen that you and she hold a dual gathering at Spaulding Rehabilitation (Boston) for photo ops and signatures for anybody and everybody -- disabled folks and able-bodied people alike. Invite print and television media. You both earned such recognition.
I'm sure such an event -- having two Paralympians together -- will draw a huge crowd. You'd both be a smash hit in sharing your unique experiences in Sailing and Swimming, the tireless training for each sport, the hurdles you overcame, the challenges you confronted, and even the pratfalls or obstacles that bore down as you battled fatigue and setbacks.
There is an incredible story here; you both are inspirations to many and symbolize the resiliency that humans harbor in their quest to achieve great goals. And you're both a force for change in how our larger society places its emphasis on "physicality" relating mostly to "able-bodied" athletes and people generally.
I see a worthy and worthwhile venture, too, in appealing to young girls and women concerning the many issues unique to females.
Those are my ideas for you over the next year as you await another Chapter in your young life --Stanford Law. But you must first take on the greater cause or mission or whatever you wish to label your life's "work" the next several months.
I'd be willing to assist you in a PR or marketing campaign should you be serious about taking on the above-mentioned ideas.
In any event, you be well. Enjoy your freedom from college and breathe a sigh of relief that the frenetic life you've been living has subsided.
Peace,
Girard
Beth
Glad to see that you are back and getting over jet lag. Thank you again for sharing your Paralympic experience with us. I'm still really bummed, upset, and disappointed that all you paralympians who worked so hard to attend the Games at Beiijing did not get the media coverage that you deserved. It would have been nice to read the results in the newspapers and see athletes interviewed on TV like the Olympics. Hopefully things can change for the next games in London in 2012. Just goes to show you that Paralympians compete for the love of the competition and not the recognition they'll get.
As far as what to do for a year while you wait to start Stanford Law I know you'll find something and it will be amazing just like the rest of your young life has been so far.
Please keep us posted back here in Northwest Ohio as to what you are doing. We miss you and wish you the best always.
Deb Burke (and the NWONSCIA and Toledo Raptors)
Beth-
You're awesome! Take care of yourself- you're in our thoughts back in NW OH!
<3 Your Cuz,
`meghan.
Welcome home! I can't wait to hear all of the stories.
Congrats on the Games and your success at Harvard. Over the past four years I've been hearing about you via the HWSD alumni e-mails. Your record breaking stint on HWSD was quite impressive. Good luck in the future.
Jen, a HWSD Alum
Beth-
How amazing all that
must have been! What
great memories you will
have forever. I sure miss
you & your family. Hopefully
I will you sometime soon.
Maybe for Christmas. Its
been way too long.
Love,
Krista
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