EFSC at the Paralympics at the Excel Centre

The Epping Forest Sportability Club was fortunate enough to get a number of tickets to one of the Paralympic Open Days at the Excel Centre in London’s Docklands.  

We all met and travelled to the centre by train (tube and DLR) and had the chance to soak up the atmosphere of the Paralympics. 

We managed to see three Paralympic sports throughout the day. First we saw the Table Tennis, where athletes from many nations and with various disabilities were competing against each other. The standard of play was outstanding! 

Next up was wheelchair fencing where the athletes have their wheelchairs bolted into position on the podium and then have to “fight” each other. We naturally cheered on the Great Britain team but unfortunately they did not win. 

The last sport we saw was Boccia and it was packed but we were lucky enough to get really good seats that were normally reserved for the competitors' families. Again the standard of play was phenomenal. In the final that we saw, the competitors were able to throw the ball into a gap between their competitors and the jack that was no bigger than the ball itself.

It was a long day but hopefully one that all the children will remember all their lives. They will be able to say that when the Paralympics came to London, they were there!