A Fully Inclusive Games... We're Nearly There

So that's it. Like many, I watched the closing ceremony last night and although it wasn't on the same scale as the opening ceremony, it was a spectacle to remember.
Still to come is the Paralympics which begin on the 29th in a couple of weeks time. The Olympic Games, besides being a showcase of athletic excellence, will be remembered for its diversity and inclusion - the first Olympic Games to include women from all countries of the world.
We still have some way to go, sadly. We still relegate disabled athletes to their own event, far removed from the main games. In my view, the most worthy are left to last, and this has to be wrong. Why can they not perform alongside the able-bodied and their achievements be recognised and awarded on the world stage?
The fact the the word 'paralympic' is derived from the Greek preposition 'para' meaning parallel or alongside, makes it all the more odd that the event isn't run in tandem with the main Olympic Games.

Sir Ludwig Guttmann organised the first recognised event for disabled athletes known as the 'Wheelchair Games' in 1948. Dr. Guttman's aim was to create an elite sports competition for people with disabilities that would be equivalent to the Olympic Games.

I will certainly be watching the Paralympic Games and I hope a similar level of attention is afforded the event as we have witnessed over the last seventeen days. For me the achievements of a disabled athlete are far greater given their handicap, and this deserves special merit. 

I just hope it isn't too long before all athletes, regardless of ability, are able to compete together. Now that really would be great...