Paralympics

[darmstadt]

First world record, is he disadvantaged?

[northernladuk]

First world record, is he disadvantaged?

I think there is some poor journalism here. It doesn't say why he is legally blind. Not all reasons for being legally blind are a disadvantage. He might have hawk like long range vision but can't see his hand in front of his face. He might not have good field of vision but to see a target it isn't required etc... I would love to know exactly what makes him legally blind.

[Doggy Styles]

I think there is some poor journalism here. It doesn't say why he is legally blind. Not all reasons for being legally blind are a disadvantage. He might have hawk like long range vision but can't see his hand in front of his face. He might not have good field of vision but to see a target it isn't required etc... I would love to know exactly what makes him legally blind.

He could have tunnel vision.

[moggy]

I think there is some poor journalism here. It doesn't say why he is legally blind. Not all reasons for being legally blind are a disadvantage. He might have hawk like long range vision but can't see his hand in front of his face. He might not have good field of vision but to see a target it isn't required etc... I would love to know exactly what makes him legally blind.

colour blind

[DaveB]

I think there is some poor journalism here. It doesn't say why he is legally blind. Not all reasons for being legally blind are a disadvantage. He might have hawk like long range vision but can't see his hand in front of his face. He might not have good field of vision but to see a target it isn't required etc... I would love to know exactly what makes him legally blind.

The US an European definition is:

In North America and most of Europe, legal blindness is defined as visual acuity (vision) of 20/200 (6/60) or less in the better eye with best correction possible. This means that a legally blind individual would have to stand 20 feet (6.1 m) from an object to see it—with corrective lenses—with the same degree of clarity as a normally sighted person could from 200 feet (61 m). In many areas, people with average acuity who nonetheless have a visual field of less than 20 degrees (the norm being 180 degrees) are also classified as being legally blind. Approximately ten percent of those deemed legally blind, by any measure, have no vision. The rest have some vision, from light perception alone to relatively good acuity. Low vision is sometimes used to describe visual acuities from 20/70 to 20/200.[3]

More details on the guy himself here including references to his degree of blindness.

London 2012 Olympics: legally blind South Korean archer Im Dong-Hyun eyes gold medal at the Games - Telegraph

He has 20/200 vision on one eye and 20/100 in the other, he also shoots without correction ( no glasses or contacts). He would have to stand at 7 meters from the target to get the same clarity as a normal person at 70m.

[northernladuk]

A few years ago Chris Boardman won a track cycling gold riding a custom built bike that was different to every other competitors. After that Olympics they banned it and introduced ruls ensuring all riders were on a level playing field in terms of technology.

I'm surprised they let him in (although I think what he does is pretty cool)

Well remembered and another reason to have a draconian rule on technology to even out the playing field. It takes away the spirit of the games if one guy can go 10% faster through technology before they have even stepped on the track. They banned those swimsuits that put a layer of bubbles around the swimmer as well but can't remember if it was used to break records first.

EDIT : Ahh here it is, Phelps did clean the board in one before they got banned..

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-...ory?id=9437780

[SueEllen]

Well remembered and another reason to have a draconian rule on technology to even out the playing field. It takes away the spirit of the games if one guy can go 10% faster through technology before they have even stepped on the track. They banned those swimsuits that put a layer of bubbles around the swimmer as well but can't remember if it was used to break records first.

Yeah it did make them go faster.

Just reminded me in Wheelchair baskeball they banned Spain as their athletes were not disabled.

[FiveTimes]

Well remembered and another reason to have a draconian rule on technology to even out the playing field. It takes away the spirit of the games if one guy can go 10% faster through technology before they have even stepped on the track. They banned those swimsuits that put a layer of bubbles around the swimmer as well but can't remember if it was used to break records first.

EDIT : Ahh here it is, Phelps did clean the board in one before they got banned..

Full Body Swimsuit Now Banned for Swimmers - ABC News

The suits aided buoyancy however the design of the pool also increased the speed and as a result something like 46 WR were broken in that pool.

[northernladuk]

The US an European definition is:

More details on the guy himself here including references to his degree of blindness.

He has 20/200 vision on one eye and 20/100 in the other, he also shoots without correction ( no glasses or contacts). He would have to stand at 7 meters from the target to get the same clarity as a normal person at 70m.

Nice find. Thanks for that. That is indeed quite an achievement by him then.

[moggy]

Well remembered and another reason to have a draconian rule on technology to even out the playing field. It takes away the spirit of the games if one guy can go 10% faster through technology before they have even stepped on the track. They banned those swimsuits that put a layer of bubbles around the swimmer as well but can't remember if it was used to break records first.

EDIT : Ahh here it is, Phelps did clean the board in one before they got banned..

Full Body Swimsuit Now Banned for Swimmers - ABC News

something in the papers today about british swimsuits giving an edge i think..