Friday, 9th January, 2009

Peeblesshire News Blogs

Olympic Blogger

After being selected to represent Great Britain as a Staff coach at this years Paralympics in Beijing, Former professional Sprinter Eddie McKenna starts his journey to China.

In Macau he will meet up with the rest of the team, including Neil Fachie of Aberdeen a visually impaired Sprinter whom Eddie has been coaching for over two years for this very event, before the team relocate to the Olympic Village in early September to await the Opening Ceremony on the 6th Sept, and the games. In Track and feild, Team GB is expected to do well, better than their non disabled counterparts in last months Olympics

Sun, 14th Sep

The Cauldron that is the Bird's nest

This week has been a revelation, and a confirmation of some of my deeply felt convictions born from years as a Ped in the Borders

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Fri, 5th Sep

The PARALYMPIC VILLAGE

It is simply astonishing to see how Beijing has been transformed from an Olympic City to A Paralympic one! Posters with images of Chinese disabled athletes are all over the Airport. Banners fly high and proud, and what an Airport! It is simply a massive statement of confidence and hope.

As well as the vast array of branding that has been done all over the city, it makes one proud to see how much the Chinese have done to embrace the desire of the Olympic Movement to profile the Paralympics. As you drive along the dedicated Olympic ( rebranded the Paralymic) lane on the motorway, you soon come face to face with the security fences which surround the Olympic Venues and the Olympic Village in particular. Standing to attention every 50 metres a solitary solidier under a sunshade watches impassivley but one sences proudly as the buses make their way into the Village itself.

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Thu, 4th Sep

From Macau to the Olympic Village

Macau is an extraordinary place! With a Portuguese Heritage, and now site of a booming economy, the islands feel part of a James Bond Movie, with opulence and luxury on the one hand, and part Blackpool with easy going fun and kitch buildings on the other!

Not that the Paralympic team have seen much of that, barring the occasional off site trip to "The Venetian", an amazing shop and Hotel complex which rises high into the Sky!

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Sat, 30th Aug

The Paralympic Lion Roars once more!

Well it's here, at last! Two years and more of preparing training schedules, cajoling and encouraging athletes through rigorous regimes, and demanding the very best at all times, now all that work lies behind and the Paralympics is almost here.

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