Have You Heard of the Paralympics? Let Me Tell You the Story Behind It! | Thoughts on “Rising Phoenix”

by 紙飛機
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Hi there! I’m Paper Plane. Now that the Olympics have ended, don’t forget to cheer on the Paralympic athletes too!

A World-Class Event Alongside the Olympics

Perhaps some of you might not be familiar with the Paralympics, so let me give you a brief introduction!

The Paralympics, officially known as the Paralympic Games, is an international sports event held every four years for athletes with disabilities. It takes place within a month after the Olympics, in the same host city. You can find more detailed information on Wikipedia.

Although the Paralympics take place after the Olympics, and might not be as well-known in Taiwan, it’s a world-class event on par with the Olympics. It’s just as important!

The status of both international events was highlighted during the 2012 London Paralympics. After the Olympics ended that year, black billboards began to appear on the streets with the message: “Thanks for the warm-up,” emphasizing that the real show was about to begin with the Paralympics. I personally loved this fiery ad! 😊

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Thanks For The Warm Up😊

Fast forward to this year’s 2024 Paris Paralympics—Taiwan’s athletes have been performing exceptionally well! Their achievements have sparked my interest in the stories behind Paralympic athletes. As a guide runner for visually impaired runners, I firmly believe that every Paralympian has a fascinating story to tell. So, I decided to look for related articles and information.

I stumbled upon a documentary on Netflix titled Rising Phoenix, which was released in 2020. It focuses on the London and Rio Paralympics, exploring the origins of the Paralympics and the stories behind the athletes. After watching it, I felt deeply inspired. Below is the trailer for the documentary—I highly recommend watching it!

Now, let me share some of the most memorable content from the film, along with my reflections. Perhaps they will be helpful to you as well! 😊


Rising from the Ashes Through Sports

This documentary tells the stories of many athletes, each leaving a deep impression on me. It took me a long time to choose just one to focus on, and I even watched the documentary twice to make my decision. 😎

In the end, I chose to highlight the story of Tatyana McFadden, a Russian-born American wheelchair racing athlete. Let me share her story of rising from the ashes.

⭐ Tatyana’s Rebirth

Tatyana McFadden was born in Russia. In the 1980s, the country wasn’t very kind to people with disabilities. Due to financial difficulties, her birth mother placed her in an orphanage. Tatyana, who had difficulty using her legs, was fortunately adopted by an American mother.

After several surgeries in the U.S., Tatyana’s legs continued to weaken, and people began to doubt if she would survive much longer. Even if she did survive, they thought she wouldn’t be able to work or live independently—there didn’t seem to be much of a future for her. This bleak outlook persisted until Tatyana discovered wheelchair racing.

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Tatyana McFadden。Ref:INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC OMMITTEE

Once she sat in that racing chair, the feeling of freedom and accomplishment made Tatyana fall in love with the sport. She gave it her all, training 190 kilometers per week—nearly the same as able-bodied runners.

Because Tatyana had walked on her hands before the age of six, she had already developed strong arms and back muscles. Combined with her natural athletic talent, she began achieving great results when representing her country in competitions.

⭐Unfair Treatment

Despite her success, Tatyana faced unfair treatment in sports.

When she wanted to join her school’s track team and practice on the same field as the other athletes, this simple wish was met with resistance, just because she was the only wheelchair racing athlete at the school.

One coach even told her directly, “You should have a club of your own kind, and you really don’t belong here.” This comment deeply hurt Tatyana.

Determined to fight for her rights—not just for herself, but for the future equality of all athletes with disabilities—Tatyana successfully lobbied to establish a federal law ensuring that students with disabilities have the right to fully participate in their school’s sports teams and activities.

⭐Years of Closure

Of course, Tatyana’s story doesn’t end there. She later challenged herself by competing in cross-country skiing at the Winter Paralympics in Russia, where she achieved great results and even reunited with her birth mother. This reunion allowed her mother to find peace after years of worry. “Look, your daughter is living well—a beautiful life!”

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塔季亞娜·麥法登。圖片來源:INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC OMMITTEE

If you’re also moved by Tatyana’s story, you can check out her interview on The Ellen Show and visit her personal website. 😊


What I Want to Say in the End…

Passing the Paralympic torch every four years has been a journey full of ups and downs. From the early games with very few spectators to the successful Beijing and London Paralympics, and the revival of spectator numbers at the Rio Paralympics, there were even times when financial struggles nearly prevented the games from happening.

If one Paralympic Games were ever canceled, breaking the chain of the torch, people would lose faith. The Paralympic flame would go out, affecting not just the athletes but also the spectators.

“The hook is the sports. There isn’t anything else in the world that can bring you back from the darkest places than sport.” I deeply resonate with this from the documentary because I have been transformed by sports, too.

In Taiwan, many people might still be unaware of the Paralympics, thinking that the excitement ends with the Olympics. I find that really unfortunate, because the real show is just about to begin.

Every Paralympian has a story like this, one that speaks of overcoming obstacles and achieving their dreams.

The more people know about the Paralympics, the more hope we can have for what’s possible for people with disabilities. It gives them a common stage to shine, and it allows us, the audience, to feel the “Mind, Body, Spirit” that the Paralympics strive to convey.

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The Paralympic logo, composed of red, blue, and green bands, represents the “Mind, Body, Spirit.”

Below are some additional Chinese resources fromTaiwan I used while writing this article. Feel free to explore them for further reading if you’re interested!

If you’ve read this far, why not give me a little like ❤️? I hope you enjoyed this post, and I’ll see you next time! 😊