The equipment they use, also called tappers, is usually handmade and there is no standard one: American Anastasia Pagonis, for example, cuts a pool noodle, covers it with tape and attaches it to the end of a pole. Instagram ReelsSome people use fishing poles or walking sticks with tennis balls on the end.
The exact timing and style of the tap (over the head or behind the head, once or twice, just before the turn or a few strokes left, etc.) is up to the skater and the tapper. Because the tapper cannot talk to the skater while competing, the pair must work closely together in training to ensure consistency and coordination.
4. In cycling and triathlons, a pilot steers a tandem bike at high speed.
Meanwhile, visually impaired cyclists ride on a tandem bike behind a sighted cyclist. The lead rider is called the pilot and operates the gears and navigates the road or track, while the para-athlete behind them is called the stalker. force(The name comes from a word referring to someone who throws wood or coals into a fire to stoke the flames. International PC.
The two discuss their strategy before the race, and sometimes communicate with words and signals during the race. A stalker’s job is not just to pedal, but also to memorize the course and know the twists and turns that lie ahead, and to remind the pilot to stay hydrated.
“You have to have good chemistry, be on the same page and be consistent (in training),” said Mark Anthony Sanchez, a pilot who has worked with many top paracyclists. Paracycling.
5. Guides for paratriathletes have many different roles.
Visually impaired triathletes must be accompanied by a guide of the same sex and from the same country. Triathlete I will report it. People who can see Tether The para-athlete will control the tandem bike within half a metre of the athlete and will be guided by a tether during the running portion.
Meanwhile, paratriathletes with visual or physical impairments can be assisted as they move from one event to the next. Handlers and guides can help athletes get in and out of the water, change out of their wetsuits, get onto their race bikes or chairs, dock and otherwise handle their gear and equipment, the association said. International PC.
6. Blind soccer players listen to the sighted goalkeeper and sideline guides.
Blind football (known as blind soccer in the United States) is a five-on-five game played by visually impaired players. The ball has a bell inside it so the players can hear, and when they go for the ball they communicate by shouting “voi!”. Meanwhile, the spectators remain silent unless a goal is scored so the players can hear what is going on.
The goalkeeper, who can have partial or full vision, can give instructions to players on the defensive side of the field. Each team also has two vision guides: a coach in midfield and another guide at the opposite end of the field, from whom they can communicate ball position and other information to team members in the opposing third of the field. Playeror tell them which direction to go run.
7. Boccia assistants can do everything from wiping sweat to positioning the ball.
Boccia is one of two Paralympic sports that are not part of the Olympics (the other is goalball). Individuals, pairs, or teams of three start with six red balls or six blue balls. To win, the athlete or team needs to capture the most balls closest to the white ball (the jack).
