|
Scott Robertson was the partner for David Lidington
Photo By: Courtesy of Karen Tonge MBE
|
07/06/2012
2012 Paralympic Games
Players from the host nation and Great Britain were present recently in Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic, as part of their preparations for the forthcoming London Paralympic Games.
One of the most comprehensive competitions in the whole Paralympic programme; the table tennis events will commence on Wednesday 29th August and conclude on Sunday 9th September 2012.
In Bratislava, the preparations received a major boost.
Dusan Caplovic, the Slovak Republic’s Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport played against Great Britain’s David Lidington, the Minister for Europe.
Doubles Match
A doubles match was the order of proceedings with Scott Robertson, a Men’s Class 5 player, who has qualified for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, being the doubles partner for the British politician.
Member of Parliament for Aylesbury
Paralympic sport is very much to the forefront for David Lidington; he is the Member of Parliament for Aylesbury, a town not too far north of London.
In his constituency in Stoke Mandeville, a town noted for its hospital, a world leader in the area of spinal injuries.
Sir Ludwig Guttmann
It was in 1948 that Sir Ludwig Guttmann, the Director of National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, organised athletic events for British World War Two Veterans who had spinal injuries.
The event was held on the first day of the 1948 Olympic Games, as in 2012, staged in London.
Staged Four Years Later
Four years later in 1952, a similar event was repeated in Stoke Mandeville, thus coinciding with the Helsinki Olympic Games.
The clear aim of Sir Ludwig Guttmann was an Olympic Games for the disabled and not just for war veterans.
Rome Proved the Watershed
In 1960, when the Olympic Games was staged in Rome, the dream came true.
The first Paralympic Games was staged and is now staged in the same city as the Olympic Games every four years
Scott Robertson watches as Dusan Caplovic (left) confronts David Lidington (right)
Photo courtesy of Karen Tonge M.B.E.
Statue Erected
A man of vision, Sir Ludwig Guttmann sadly died on Tuesday 18th March 1980; he was 80 years old.
Earlier this year in June, a statue of Sir Ludwig Guttmann was unveiled at Stoke Mandeville as part of events leading to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Mandeville the Mascot
Mandeville, one of the official mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in London, is named in honour of the hospital's contribution to Paralympic sports.
Members of the Great Britain and Slovak Republic teams with special guests in Bratislava
Photo courtesy of Karen Tonge M.B.E.
|
