Paralympics Breathtaking Moments

Gold medalist Sini Zeng of China in Individual C1-2-3 Pursuit Cycling

Screw Politics, I sat mesmerised by the Paralympics today. When a man with no limbs can destroy a field with limbs in the pool, a Chinese woman with one leg can win gold on a cycle in the Velodrome and two blind men can compete for judo gold, these are the real heroes.

Yes Bolt running 9.63 was special. Pistorius competing in both Olympics and being competitive enough to make it to the semifinals had me out of my chair.

Swimmer Anthony Stephens was born with no legs and only one fully developed arm yet qualified for the final swimming 50 metres in 35.59 seconds. I am blessed with four limbs he would have beaten me by half a pool length.

Watching blind judo was fascinating as two men met in the centre after being guided in to the ring. Grasped each other and then that was your only indication they were sightless.

Martine Wright is competing in sitting volleyball for Team GB. She had her legs blown off in the London 7/7 bombings the day after these games were awarded.

The sports look somewhat similar until you squint at the screen and see why they are competing in these Olympics.

I cannot wait for Derek Derenalagi to compete. His legs were blown off in Afghanistan and was actually in a body bag when a medic detected a faint pulse. Five years later he will throw the discus for Team GB.

So these games will not get much coverage outside of the UK, but these are the real Olympic heroes and I sat in awe of them today!

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Denis G Campbell is the author of 6 books including 'Billionaire Boys Election Freak Show,' 'The Vagina Wars' & 'Egypt Unsh@ckled.' He is the editor of UK Progressive Magazine and provides commentary to the BBC, itv Al Jazeera English, CNN, MSNBC and others. His weekly 'World View with Denis Campbell' segment can be heard every Thursday on the globally syndicated The David Pakman Show. You can follow him on Twitter via @UKProgressive and on Facebook.
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