Articles

Sport: Archery

What’s good? It’s like Robin Hood in space, as the archers line up with futuristic metallic bows and streamlined arrows that cut through the air like bullets through water. Hands that don’t shake like an Eskimo in swimming trunks are also a must.

Venue: The Royal Artillery Barracks

Dates: 30 August – 5 September 2012

If you see one event… check out the men’s team recurve final. Three archers take it in turns to win a collective gold for their country, one bad shot could cost them dearly.

Wave your flag at… Danielle Brown. She’ll be doing her best William Tell impression as she looks to smash her own world record in the individual compound event. 

 

Sport: Athletics

What’s good? Featuring some of the biggest names in Paralympic sport, there’s absolutely nothing to dislike about athletics. You’ve got people on blades running at cheetah-like speeds, javelins soaring through the skies, and lots of men and women leaping like startled kangaroos into a sand pit for medals. Yes ma’am, athletics has it all.

Venue: Olympic Stadium (track and field events); The Mall (marathon)

Dates: 31 August – 9 September 2012

If you see one event… watch the men’s T44 100m final. Oscar Pistorius will be defending his Paralympic gold against nemesis Jerome Singleton and GB’s Ian Jones.

Wave your flag at… Richard Whitehead. The marathon runner turns his hand to some shorter track events, watch out for him in the T42 200m final.

 

Sport: Boccia

What’s good? Like chess, only not remotely boring, Boccia is a thrilling game of strategy and accuracy. Want to know more? Give our ridiculously addictive Boccia game a go!

Venue: ExCelDates: 2 – 8 September 2012

If you see one event… make it the final: It’ll be fingernail-biting, edge-of-the-seat-sitting stuff!

Wave your flag at… David Smith. The former world number one is sure to challenge for gold as part of the GB team and in the individual event.

 

Sport: Road Cycling

What’s good? If you think the Tour de France is exciting, then prepare to splutter joyous cappuccino foam all over the place when you watch the Paralympic road cycling. Sprints, marathons, time trials; they’re all there. Plus, if it’s sunny, you could even whip your top off and work on tanning up your abdominals. At this point we should probably point out that Channel 4 takes no responsibility for the English weather.

Venue: Brands Hatch Dates: 5 – 8 September 2012

If you see one event… watch the men’s C 1-3 Road Race. It’s a massive test of strength, endurance and fitness.

Wave your flag at…David Stone. He’s already got two Paralympic gold medals to his name in the Time Trials and Road Race events and he’s no doubt hungry for more.

 

Sport: Track Cycling

What’s good? Great Britain are basically amazing at cycling. So much so that we’re unequivocally guaranteed to win some gold medals – glory hunters would be advised to watch.

Venue: Olympic Park – Velodrome

Dates: 30 August – 2 September 2012

If you see one event… watch the men’s LC1-4 team sprint. The best of the best working in sync is a rather breathtaking sight.

Wave your flag at… Jody Cundy. This will be his fifth Paralympic Games, but only his second as a cyclist. Cheer on the former swimmer as he looks to add to his 1km Time Trial gold in 2008.

 

Sport: Equestrian

What’s good? With high-kicks, glossy hair and toothy smiles, this is like watching a Glee Club for horses. If they were with Mr Schue at Regionals, they’d totally, like, win.

Venue: Greenwich ParkDates: 30 August – 4 September 2012

If you see one event… The team event final promises to be a thing of beauty, style and grace.  

Wave your flag at… Lee Pearson. He’s a nine-time Paralympic gold medallist, cheer him on for his tenth in the Individual freestyle and championships tests.

 

Sport: 5-a-side Football

What’s good? Bored of watching Capello’s England grinding out suffocating draws against a team of part-time plumbers from Andorra? Oh, stop moaning. Just watch GB’s blind 5-a-side team! These guys are actually good at winning and they’ll be taking on the likes of Brazil, Argentina and Spain.

Venue: Olympic Park –Hockey Centre

Dates: 31 Aug; 2 Sept; 4 Sept; 6 Sept; 8 Sept 2012

If you see one event… make it the final. With so many top-class teams taking part, it’s bound to be more nail-biting than an episode of 24.

Wave your flag at… David Clarke. This guy has more international goals than Wayne Rooney, and he’s got better hair to boot. Cheer the super striker on as he looks to fire GB to glory.

 

Sport: 7-a-side Football

What’s good? Smaller pitch, no one bothering with the stupid offside rule... yes, 7-a-side football is officially the greatest seven-a-sided sport IN THE WORLD. GB beat China 10-2 in 2008. That’s twelve goals in an hour (each half is 30 minutes)!

Venue: Olympic Park – Hockey Centre

Dates: 1 Sept; 3 Sept; 5 Sept; 7 Sept; 9 Sept 2012

If you see one event… make it the final. Last time around it went to extra-time and it’s sure to be just as close in 2012. It’s going to be a showdown of the best of the best, vying for gold.

Wave your flag at… Matt Dimbylow. The GB star defender has a penchant for a tackle and an eye for goal, cheer him on as GB look to improve on their seventh place finish in 2008.

 

Sport: Goalball

What’s good? If you like your sports to include blindfolds and people hurling balls at one another, then you’ll absolutely love goalball. The dark horse of the Paralympic Games is a fast-paced and furious sport where players rely on bat-like ears and cat-like reflexes.

Venue: Olympic Park – Handball Arena

Dates: 30 Aug – 7 Sept 2012

If you see one event… it’s got to be the final. The tension will be ramped up, the athletes will be pumped and each throw of the ball is more important than the last.

Wave your flag at… the 17-year-old Georgina Bullen. This budding thespian and goalball whizz-kid will be competing in her first Paralympic Games and looks set to take it by storm.

 

Sport: Judo

What’s good? Ahh, the ancient art of Judo. A practice that requires deep thought and a clear mind. Then, and only then, can you bundle into your opponent screaming as you haphazardly wrestle him/her to the floor.

Venue: ExCelDates: 30 Aug –1 Sept 2012

If you see one event… make it the men’s +100kg final and watch two heavyweights attempt to mount a martial arts demolition job on one another.

Wave your flag at… Ben Quilter finished fifth in Beijing. After winning the World Championships in 2010, he’ll want to be on the podium.

 

Sport: Powerlifting

What’s good? One of the most visually impressive sports at the Paralympics, you’ll be bending down to sweep your chin from the floor once you’ve seen these remarkable tough guys lifting enormous weights of up to three times their body weight. It requires guts, determination and strength of absolutely baffling proportions.

Venue: ExCelDates: 30 Aug –5 Sept 2012

If you see one event… see the men’s +100kg final. Talk about getting tickets to the gun show, this is the ultimate showdown of sheer strength.

Wave your flag at… Zoe Newson will be making her Paralympic debut and her Mum will be there cheering her on. Go along and show some muscle-power of your own by waving your flag until the end.

 

Sport: Rowing

What’s good? The Brits are great at rowing. But that's hardly surprising - we live on an island surrounded by water!

Venue: Eton Dorney, Buckinghamshire Dates: 31 Aug – 2 Sept 2012

If you see one event… see the mixed coxed four final. This oarsome foursome event will have it all; drama, speed and water-based thrills!

Wave your flag at…Tom Aggar. This former rugby lad is built like the proverbial and is one of GB’s brightest medal hopes.

 

Sport: Sailing

What’s good? It’s a day out at the coast that combines the chance to study a labour-intensive sport that requires skill and a keen knack for taming the elements. With the option of lazily eating a bag of chips while you watch.

Venue: Weymouth and Portland, Dorset

Dates: 1 – 6 Sept 2012

If you see one event… head on down for the three-person keelboat competition. Featuring some of the finest athletes and the best boats.

Wave your flag at… the GB Sonar team consisting of Matt Damon look-a-like Stephen Thomas, Hannah Stodel and John Robertson.

 

Sport: Shooting

What’s good? Some of these guys are such a good shot, they make Billy the Kid look like Jedward. On the presumption that Jedward would be absolutely rubbish at shooting.

Venue: The Royal Artillery Barracks

Dates: Thursday 30 August – Tuesday 4 September 2012

If you see one event… check out the SH1 Mixed 50 m free rifle prone event. These guys can hit the seeds off a strawberry from 50m. Incredible.

Wave your flag at… Matt Skelhon’s hair. Not only is Matt a stellar shot with his rifle, he tends to sport one of the most outrageous haircuts in Paralympic sport.

 

Sport: Swimming

What’s good? While Ukraine are the current world leaders in the pool, GB aren't far behind. So for a sweet head-rush of patriotic victory, head to the Aquatics Centre to find GB team members strolling around with so many medals hanging from their necks that they suddenly think they’re BA from the A-Team.

Venue: Olympic Park – Aquatics Centre Dates: 30 Aug – 8 Sept 2012

If you see one event… head on over to the women’sS6 50m Freestyle final which should pit Mirjam de Koning-Peper against Ellie Simmonds in an electrifying display of speed.

Wave your flag at… Jonathan Fox. The fantastic Mr Fox is one of the favourites for gold in the S7 category and could well break some records along the way.

 

Sport: Table Tennis

What’s good? You’ve seen Forest Gump, you know what it’s all about. Speed, speed and more speed. And as everyone knows, the better the player, the further away from the table they stand. So don’t be surprised to find Poland's Paralympic champion Natalia Partyka loitering around in the car park with her bat. Or is it a racket?

Venue: ExCelDates: 30 Aug – 3 Sept 2012; 5 – 8 September 2012

If you see one event… watch the women’s individual Class 10 final. If she continues her amazing form, Natalia Partyka will be defending her 2008 gold in the final. She made her first Paralympic appearance at just 11 at Sydney 2000.

Wave your flag at… Will Bayley. The world number two is GB’s ping pong king. He’s trained in China and learned from the best so he should be a real threat.

 

Sport: Sitting volleyball

What’s good? Power shot! Block! Spike-o! If you know what any of these things mean, then you already know a thing or two about volleyball. But did you know that these athletes are also telepathic? Seriously, they must be. Head along to the ExCel to find out what we mean by that.

Venue: ExCelDates: 30 Aug – 8 Sept 2012

If you see one event… the women’s final. Leads can be built and broken in a few shots and this final should be a thriller.

Wave your flag at… Anton Raimondo. One of the stars of the GB team, Anton brings some calm-headed assurance to the team. He’s got one hell of a spike on him too.

 

Sport: Wheelchair basketball

What’s good? Big three pointers, nifty looping shots from beneath the basket. All combined with athletes smashing around like maniacs. Brilliant stuff.

Venue: North Greenwich Arena; Olympic Park – Basketball Arena

Dates: 30 Aug – 8 Sept 2012

If you see one event… make it the men’s final for the drama, spills and thrills as two teams match up for the ultimate prize.

Wave your flag at… Helen Freeman. This net-rippling machine is a demon on the court and can dismantle teams almost single-handedly.

 

Sport: Wheelchair fencing

What’s good? Three types of sword; foil, épée and sabre, with each one just as swashbuckling as the next. Matches in the heats can be over in just eight seconds of live play, and apart from a speeding bullet, the tip of a fencing sword is surely the fastest thing in sport. Don’t blink. Seriously.

Venue: ExCelDates: 4 – 8 Sept 2012

If you see one event… catch the men’s épée category A final – this is the fastest wheelchair fencing gets. Whiplash.

Wave your flag at… Simon Wilson. He’s the British number one and the elder statesman of the GB squad. He’s also nicknamed The Squirrel, so make sure you go nuts!

 

Sport: Wheelchair rugby

What’s good? Otherwise known as Murderball, if this doesn’t toast your onions (in a good way), then nothing will. There are more crashes than an old PC, making this the perfect sport for fans of violence and aggression. Be careful though, there’s a lot of testosterone flying around. It might get you in the face.

Venue: Olympic Park – Basketball Arena

Dates: 5 – 9 Sept 2012

If you see one event… the final, obviously! What better event to watch than two of the best teams battering seven shades out of each other.

Wave your flag at… Andy Barrow. The GB star told us he wants the crowd to get behind him in 2012, so you better do as you’re told.

 

Sport: Wheelchair tennis

What’s good? Strawberries and cream, a nice glass of Pimms, and all of the bullet aces and killer returns that wheelchair tennis has to offer. That’s finding-a-surprise-tenner-in-your-fancy-pants away from being the perfect afternoon out.

Venue: Olympic Park – Eton Manor

Dates: Saturday 1 – 8 September 2012

If you see one event… make it the women’s singles final, which will probably feature Dutch winning machine Esther Vergeer. Witness the finest backhands, forehands and overhead smashes wheelchair tennis has to offer.

Wave your flag at… Peter Norfolk. 'The Quadfather' is chasing his third consecutive gold in the quad singles event, make sure you’re there to spur him on.

 

To buy tickets for all of the events at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, visit the London 2012 website.