Being in lockdown has meant that I have tuned in early morning to watch and how unbelievably skilful have some of the performances been.
Two images were particularly amazing. The first was the Chinese gold medallist in table tennis who played with only one leg and carrying a crutch. This did bring up the point that many of the paralympics have to master not one but two skills.
Take wheelchair tennis for example. In Alfie Hewett Norwich has the world's number one singles player. But not only does he have to master hitting a tennis ball, he also has to master manoeuvring a wheelchair. Of course these are no ordinary wheelchair, but even so.
The Chinese table tennis player had to master moving around on one leg alongside being able to play table tennis. It's a sobering thought to know that able-bodied as I am he would wipe the floor with me. The second image was of the blind football. This to me is beyond comprehension. The players wear blindfolds to ensure that it is the same for all as some of them can still detect some light sources.
They then proceed to play five-a-side football to a pretty high level. The goalkeepers wear no blindfolds and can see and act as coaches, telling the players where the ball is. The ball has sensors so the players can hear it. The sight of players running along with the ball almost tied to their legs was beyond impressive and, in the final, a Brazilian player managed to beat the seeing goalkeeper of Argentina with a high drive into the top corner of the goal. Another aspect of this sport is spectators have to keep quiet so that the players can hear the coaches. Can you imagine going to a football match and not being able to shout or sing?
I do question, however, whether some of the paralympic athletes shouldn't be competing against able bodied athletes on equal terms. Dame Sarah Storey for instance has a low functioning left hand. This hasn't prevented her dominating para cycling for decades. I just wonder whether she could compete against able bodied. Same goes for other sports such as dressage where a person with disability could have the same control over a horse as an able bodied athlete.
Then there are those whose disability is described as "intellectually impaired." This is defined as somebody with an IQ of under 70 who has difficulty making decisions and who may depend on others. So technically they can be extremely physically fit and there seems to be an argument for them to be able to race against able bodied athletes.
After all when it comes to sport I have had a disability that has prevented me from taking part in the Olympic Games - I'm just not good enough.
I watched Scotland scramble to beat Moldova 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday. I don't think I have ever seen a football team so incapable of scoring goals. I think if you put the ball on the goalline and took away all the defenders and then asked them to score, they would still miss.
Which reminds me of a very funny book I enjoyed many years ago entitled "Playing the Moldovans at Tennis" by comedian and author Tony Hawks. Hawks takes on a ridiculous bet that he can track down and beat the entire Moldovan football team at tennis and he has to do it one by one. Hawks is a decent tennis player himself. I won't spoil it for you by saying whether he succeeds but would urge you to get hold of what is a very entertaining read.