Each year Weymouth College runs a Primary College event that attracts nearly 2000 primary school local students every day over a four day period. The programme is made up of various short half day and some full day workshops across skills and performance activities. There is truly something for everyone. From making a hanging basket to making banana cake, football to kickboxing, Street dance to African drumming. In the middle of all this was an activity advertised as being a ‘Prize Competition’. This workshop was designed to try and gauge the level of knowledge this age group (11-12) had about the Olympics and the Paralympics. After being given a short presentation, which included showing them pictures of disabled athletes, the students set abut making a poster that showed ‘What event if any they would take part in’ and more importantly ‘What did the Olympics mean to them’.



Once the subject of the Olympics had been established and a few prospects for London 2012, Tom Daley 14 highlighted, the Paralympics was slowly introduced to see what reaction came from the students. Some of the results were fantastic and others disappointing when one group chose to laugh at pictures of athletes running with blades. The discussions about why disabled athletes would want to take part in the Paralympics were very thought provoking. Blind cyclist, short distance sprinters, wheelchair basketball players and disabled horse riders were very topical. It led to discussions about the physical and mental barriers they needed to overcome and what would drive disabled Athletes to put themselves through all that training and commitment when they did not have to.



The answer for me was easy. For any person who has run down the road, taken part in any competition, felt the wind on you face and your legs moving as fast as they can, your heart pounding and if your lucky tasted victory.. it’s because they can. It’s a part of being alive.

With the advancement of technology and modifications to equipment like wheelchairs, cycles and even footballs, sport is becoming much, much more inclusive, so much so that disabled athletes are knocking on the door not just to compete in sport but also to compete at the same level as people without a disability. This time may come, but for now we should all celebrate the advancement all sports towards that illusive inclusiveness we all talk about.

Student comments:
• I would just like to win a medal and do my best. Even if I had a disability, it would be the best feeling in the world.
• It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s that you took part and represented your country.
• It doesn't matter what you look like to go to the Olympics.
• Being in the Olympics would be a dream..
• Everyone can do the Olympics because we’re all Unique!