paralympics

Everyday

A big international sports competition for athletes with disabilities, such as athletes who are blind, use wheelchairs or have lost limbs, held after the Olympic Games every four years. tree →

In the lessons

In PE and citizenship lessons the Paralympics shows that disabled athletes are top sportspeople and teaches respect and inclusion. Sports include wheelchair basketball, blind football, boccia and para swimming. A Paralympian is an athlete who competes there. Phrases: the Summer Paralympics, the Winter Paralympics, a Paralympic champion, win a Paralympic medal.

Examples

• The Paralympics take place in the same city as the Olympics. tree →
• She won a gold medal at the Paralympics in swimming. tree →
• Wheelchair rugby is one of the fastest Paralympic sports. tree →
• We watched the Paralympics on TV at school. tree →
• The Paralympics began from games for injured soldiers in England. tree →
• My hero is a Paralympian who runs with a blade. tree →

Note

Always written with a capital P: the Paralympics, Paralympic. It takes "the". It can take a plural or singular verb (The Paralympics are/is on TV). "Para" here means "beside" (alongside the Olympics), not "paralysed". Say "disabled athletes" or "athletes with disabilities", not unkind words.