1500-Meter Paralympians Faster Than Olympians

The Paralympics is an international competition for physically disabled athletes. That competition has been taking place at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro and last weekend a race took place that resulted in an amazing accomplishment.

Paralympian Fouad Baka of Algeria finished a 1500-meter race in just 3 minutes and 49.59 seconds. Had Baka finished with that time at that exact stadium in August, he would have beat out Matthew Centrowitz Jr. of the U.S. for the Olympic gold medal. Centrowitz Jr. finished the final in 3 minutes and 50 seconds.

Unfortunately for Baka, he wasn’t racing in the Olympics. He was racing in the Paralympics, where not one or two runners finished ahead of him, but three! Baka ended up placing fourth in the men’s 1500m - T12/13 Final, a race for the visually impaired. In front of him was bronze medalist Henry Kirwa of Kenya (3:49.59), silver medalist Tamiru Demisse of Ethiopia (3:48.59) and gold medalist Abdellatif Baka, who is the brother of the fourth-place Fouad (3:48.29).

Four visually impaired Paralympians ran FASTER times than the 1500-meter gold medalist achieved at the Rio Olympics last month! Their physical disability was solely their sight. Incredible accomplishments!

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past

The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio Are Underway!

Last night was the opening ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Games are now underway! Here are some things that you may not know about these Games:

• Best seats at the opening ceremonies cost around $8,000.
• The opening ceremonies were held in Rio's Maracanã Stadium, which boasts the world record for the most fans ever to attend a soccer game. Although its current capacity is around 78,000, the stadium squeezed in at least 173,000 fans during the 1950 World Cup final.
• Rio 2016 is the first time in Olympic history that a South American country has hosted the Olympic Games.
• Around 10,500 athletes from 206 countries are taking part in 42 different sports during 17 days of the Olympiad, competing across 306 events.
• Golf will return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence, and Rugby after 92 years.
• The Rio games will be the first to feature Olympians born in the year 2000. Rules state that all competitors must have been born before January 1, 2003.
• The mascot for 2016 is "Vinicius," a yellow and blue creature representing Brazilian wildlife.
• 60,000 meals will be prepared each day to feed the athletes.
• The Games require 70,000 volunteers.
• Around 85,000 soldiers and policemen are being used for the Olympics — the largest security force assembled at any event in Brazil's history and twice as large as the security presence for London 2012.
• The total cost of the Olympic Games in Rio will mount up to 37.6 billion Brazilian Real — which is $11.7 Billion in US dollars.
• The slogan of the 2016 Olympics is "Viva sua paixão" (Live your passion).

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past