#1992 winter olympics

[triple-axel-triple-threat]

The best dress in skating.

[sandytrish008]

There are 5 days left until the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and to celebrate I drew my favorite mascots from different Olympics and Paralympics, in ascending order:

Misha - Moscow 1980

Hodori - Seoul 1988

Cobi - Barcelona 1992

Powder, copper, Coal and Otto - Salt Lake City 2002

Miga, Quatchi, Sumi and Mukmuk - Vancouver 2010

Vinicius&Tom - Rio 2016

[mariacallous]

Usually held in the two weeks after the Olympic Games in the same host city, the Paralympics showcase the best athletes with physical disabilities from around the world competing for their home countries. (The Paralympics are not to be confused with the Special Olympics, which feature athletes with intellectual disabilities.) This year, the Summer Paralympics will take place from August 28 to September 8 in Paris, France.

Quick history lesson: The origins of the Paralympics began shortly after World War II, during the 1948 London Olympics, where 16 wheelchair-using veterans participated. The first official Paralympic Games took place in Rome in 1960 and featured 400 athletes from 23 countries. Since then, the Games have taken place every four years and now feature 4,400 athletes in 22 sports (the Olympics have 32), with 549 gold medals up for grabs.

There are athletes competing from 177 countries (this year’s Olympics had athletes from 184 countries), including 10 countries that have never been represented in the Paralympic Games before, along with representation from the Neutral and Refugee teams. In case you missed it, at the last Paralympics in Tokyo, China earned the most medals, with Great Britain behind it and the US in third.

Since the 1988 Summer Games and the 1992 Winter Games, the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been held in the same cities and venues. Although Paralympians still strive for equal treatment as Olympic athletes without disabilities, there is a large gap in funding between the Olympics and Paralympics.

Where to Watch

This year’s Games will make history as the first Paralympic Games to offer live coverage of every one of the 22 sports played. Like the Olympics, every event at the Paralympics will be available to stream on Peacock if you’re in the US.

If you prefer going old school and watching on basic cable, a select number of events will be airing on the NBC channels NBC, CNBC, and USA Network, along with E!, Golf Channel, and Telemundo, which offers coverage in Spanish. In an effort to make the Games more accessible, closed captioning will be available for every Paralympic event (regardless of the platform). You can also watch highlights and athlete interviews on Paralympic.org.

In the UK, Channel 4 has more than 1,300 hours of live coverage scheduled. Folks can also watch through their streaming service or Channel 4 Sport’s YouTube channel, which will show the entirety of the Games for the first time. BBC, BBC Radio 5 Live, and the BBC Sport website will also air highlights and select coverage. The Paralympics website also has a complete list of where to watch by country.

Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony will begin August 28 at 8 pm Paris time, 7 pm BST, 2 pm EDT, and 11 am PDT. Similar to the Olympics opening ceremony, the Paralympics opening ceremony will be held outside of a stadium at one of the major squares in Paris, Place de la Concorde, and the iconic avenue Champs-Élysées will be transformed into the opening ceremony stage.

The competition starts the following day, on August 29, at 11 am EDT (8 am PDT). Like with the Paris Olympics, the start times will be similarly early and continue throughout the day. The specific timing of some of the events might change, so check the schedule of events on the Olympics' Paralympics schedule webpage.

Blind Football (Soccer)

Blind football is an adaptation of football (or soccer, if you’re American) for athletes with vision impairment played with an audible ball. This men’s competition starts early on September 1 and continues on September 2, 3 and 5, with the gold medal match on Saturday, September 7.

Boccia

Boccia is one of only two sports with no Olympic equivalent. It was originally created for athletes in wheelchairs who have impaired motor function or coordination. To win, each team must get the most balls closest to the white ball called the jack, with athletes allowed to make modifications according to their needs. Men’s and women’s individual games start August 29 and go through September 1, with the gold medal individual matches on September 1 and 2. Mixed pairs and teams start September 3, with gold mixed pairs and teams matches on September 5.

Goalball

The other sport of the Paralympic Games without an Olympic equivalent, goalball is a team sport for the visually impaired and blind, in which players wear special black eye-covering-type glasses so they fully can’t see and are thus more equitable (and honestly, look cool as hell). If there’s anything that the Olympic Games have taught us, it’s that the people go crazy for some out-of-the-norm eyewear. The audience needs to stay as quiet as possible because the ball has bells inside. Thus, the athletes have to rely solely on sound, while they use their whole body to try to block the ball from making it inside the goal. (Lets see Neymar try to do that.) Men’s and women’s games start August 29 with the gold medal games for both on September 5.

Para Archery

The first game played at the early iteration of the Paralympics in 1948, para archery now has men and women’s individual and mixed teams, with wheelchair or standing, and with recurve and compound bows used. Men’s and women’s individual events begin August 29 and continue through September 5, with gold medal matches in individual, teams and with different bows across multiple days.

Para Athletics

One of the most beloved sports in the Paralympics is para athletics, which has been a popular fixture in the games since the inaugural Rome Games in 1960. Today, it spans a wide range of track, jumping, and throwing events, as well as marathons. Because of the wide range of men’s and women’s events, competition begins on August 30 and happens daily with gold medal matches until the Games end on September 8. Check the full para athletics schedule for more specific events’ times.

Para Badminton

Para badminton debuted at Tokyo 2020, although it has been hugely popular for decades. Like badminton, players compete as singles and pairs, as well as standing and in wheelchairs. Group play begins on August 29, with men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles beginning August 31. Gold medal matches take place September 1 and 2.

Para Canoe

The Paralympic Canoe competition features two types of boats: the kayak and va’a (traditionally used in Oceania for travel between islands). Para canoes are basically the same as those used in the Olympic Games, but just have a wider bottom for greater stability. The races begin September 6 with gold medal games on September 7 and 8.

Para Road Cycling

Throughout the years, like many other events, Paralympic cycling has grown to adapt to many disabilities, and uses standard bicycles, handcycles, tricycles, and tandems. In road cycling, there are road races, time trials, and relay events. Both the men and women’s individual and relay events and gold medal races take place daily September 4 through 7.

Para Track Cycling

Para  track cycling is similar to road cycling but takes place on a velodrome track (as the name suggests). Competition is divided into time trials, individual, and tandem or team sprints, using standard bicycles and tandems (all of which can be adapted for the specific athlete). The various track cycling events and gold medal races take place simultaneously August 29 to September 1.

Para Equestrian

Unlike the three equestrian events at the Olympic Games, the Paralympic equestrian program only includes the dressage competition. Para dressage essentially focuses on how well the rider and horse gel, with riders judged on their riding and performance with the horse. All the events are individual mixed, and each competition has gold medal rounds, taking place August 3, 4, 6 and 7.

Para Judo

Para judo is one of two martial arts competitions at the Games. The Paralympics judo follows the same rules as its Olympic equivalent, except it’s practiced exclusively by athletes with vision impairments—and is way more badass, in my humble opinion. (I think I’m allowed to make that assertion since I’m also disabled, don’t come for me.) With the athletes unable to see their opponent, they must use their sense of touch and careful listening—including slight differences in breathing and movement—to sense what their rival may do next. Men’s and women’s matches take place September 5, 6, and 7 and have gold medal matches at the end of each day.

Para Powerlifting

Para powerlifting is a men’s and women’s bench press competition that tests upper body strength where the athletes compete in different weight categories. All of the events are individual and there are gold medal rounds for each competition (which varies by gender and weight class) taking place September 4 to 8.

Para Rowing

A relatively new sport, rowing debuted at the Paralympic Games in 2008. Now, there are five rowing events, including three mixed events. Para rowing rules are nearly identical to those at the Olympics and rowers are eligible for different events according to their gender and impairment categories. The races begin across all categories on August 30, continue to August 31, with final gold medal rounds on September 1.

Para Swimming

Para swimming has remained one of the most enduring sports in the Paralympics since its debut at the Rome Games in 1960. Its popularity is due in part because athletes with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities can participate and doesn’t require any specific equipment. (Prosthetics aren’t allowed either.) Featuring different swims at different distances, athletes compete in breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, freestyle, and medley. As one of the most popular sports, there are men’s, women’s, and mixed events virtually nonstop with gold medal races near the end of every day, August 29 until September 7.

Para Table Tennis

One of the OG Paralympian games, table tennis actually has a longer history in the Paralympic Games than its Olympic counterpart. When it began, it was only open to wheelchair users, although today athletes are placed into 11 different classes based on their physical and intellectual impairments. Men’s and women’s doubles, singles and mixed games take place August 29 to September 7, with gold medal games every day except September 2.

Para Taekwondo

Para taekwondo is a new competition that made its Paralympic debut at the Tokyo Games. Focused on athletes with upper limb impairments, they are split into two sports classes and divided into weight categories. Men and women compete August 29 to 31, with gold medal matches at the end of each day.

Para Triathlon

A relatively new sport introduced at the 2016 Rio Games, the para triathlon is held over the “sprint” distance, which is half the Olympic distance for individual competitions, where athletes swim 750 meters, cycle 20 kilometers, and run 5 kilometers. The competition is divided by men’s and women’s, with medals being awarded for each race September 1 and 2.

Shooting Para Sport

Shooters compete in rifle and pistol events from distances of 10-meter, 25-meter, and 50-meter in men’s, women’s, and mixed fields. Depending on needs, athletes compete in a kneeling position, prone, or standing (or in a wheelchair or shooting seat). The games take place August 30 to September 5, with medals awarded each day.

Sitting Volleyball

Sitting volleyball is pretty much the exact same as the volleyball we know and love, except as the name suggests, is a sitting variation of the sport. It’s played by two teams of six players who move around the court using the power of their arms, along with a lowered net that’s 3 feet high. The games start on August 29 and continue until the men’s gold medal game on September 6 and the women’s on September 7.

Wheelchair Basketball

Originally used for rehabilitation and exercise for World War II veterans—wheelchair basketball is quintessential Paralympics. Now, it’s one of the most popular and beloved sports for wheelchair users around the world. Games start August 29 and go until the men’s gold medal match September 7, with the women’s September 8.

Wheelchair Fencing

What’s more badass than fencing? Wheelchair fencing. In this sport that requires discipline (and ability to not flinch when a sword is coming at you), athletes compete in a special wheelchair frame designed for the sport which is fastened to the floor—meaning the fencers cannot move and are always close to their opponent. Just like the Olympic equivalent, wheelchair fencing consists of three disciplines: foil, épée, and saber. The men’s and women’s matches take place September 3 to 7, with gold medal rounds at the end of every day.

Wheelchair Rugby

Wheelchair rugby is a four-person team sport played in specially designed wheelchairs. It combines elements of rugby, basketball, and handball, with players using a round ball. Because it’s such an aggressive sport, it’s often referred to as “murderball.” Need I say more? You’re gonna wanna watch this one. Mixed games start August 29, with the gold medal games September 2.

Wheelchair Tennis

Wheelchair tennis pretty much follows the same rules of able-bodied tennis, except here the ball can bounce twice before the player hits it back. Athletes are divided into open and quad classes, along with men’s, women’s, singles, and doubles. Games start August 30, with gold medal matches September 4 to 7.

[puuta-heinaa]

Happy final days of Käärijä's social media break to all those who celebrate. For no reason at all I have Albertville 1992 Winter Olympic's stamp in my collections, and I was inspired.

[ptseti]

DID U KNOW.........

IG - @rolandsmartin dropped a historical fact that a lot of people don’t know about. The reason the NFL now has a halftime show is because of In Living Color. Keenan Ivory Wayans decided to put on a show during the halftime of the Super Bowl On January 26, 1992, Super Bowl XXVI kicked off between the Washington Commanders (then the Washington Redskins) and the Buffalo Bills. With Washington up 17-0 at halftime, CBS launched an ice skating show meant to promote the Winter Olympics; Fox launched In Living Color.

[deadpresidents]

Which President’s term had the greatest number of Olympic Games? (It can’t be FDR because of all of the editions canceled during WWII, right?) It must be someone post-1992 when the Summer and Winter Games became two years apart instead of in the same year.

I figured it would have been Bill Clinton because I thought that when they switched the timing of the Games it worked out so that an extra Winter Olympics took place while he was in office, but I was wrong. Nearly all of the Presidents who served two terms in the Olympic era are tied with four Olympic Games:

Biden could have broken that tie if he won and completed a second term because the Tokyo Games that were postponed due to the pandemic would have given him an extra Olympics during his time in office and the 2026 Winter Games and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics would have added up to five total Olympics during his Presidency.

(Also, there should probably be an asterisk next to the 1980 Moscow Olympics since President Carter's decision to force American athletes to boycott those Games means they shouldn't count for him either.)

[cleolinda]

Weekend links, June 16, 2024

My posts

Now all my crape myrtles have mildew. Additionally, I have hurt my back yet again and I am scuncht about it. Thus, I’m on muscle relaxers again, so here’s hoping this post is lucid. 

Also, I underestimated how many people really, really needed to hear good news about the “my husband and FIL insist I will die in childbirth” woman on AITA back in 2020.  

Reblogs of interest

Happy Loving Day (June 12), in honor of the Loving v. Virginia case that legalized interracial marriage in the U.S. within living memory. Good discussion in the reblogs. 

A Pride flag made of Space from NASA

The Sting Pain Index from Justin O. Schmidt, Pain Sommelier

You don’t even know you’re luft

Shark de Triomphe. Chomps Élysées. Bon-Jaws

Cats have always been cats: Witness my Act and Deed (1882)

Why be mean about the small dog? Well…

Count von Count and his Countmobile (ah ah ahhhh)

Attn freelancers: “There is power in a union, even if it's only the union in your head.”

John Singer Sargent portraits and their subjects

“You aren’t behind. You are gathering and processing data”

Faire does it all

You got wives at home

Gonna have the boys over to measure the five and a half minute hallway

BOSS MAKES A DOLLAR/I MAKE A DIME/THATS WHY I MAKE MEADE/OUTTA THE COMPANY SLIME

This Joe Kavik bird sculpture is eminently Shaped

Video

A musical dog

A fluffy kitten learns to skateboard

Petr Barna’s Charlie Chaplin routine for the 1992 Winter Olympics

The sacred texts

“You’d be so pretty if you lost weight!”

Personal tag of the week

Color, because I just really like pretty colors and we had a lot of them this week.

[the-olympics-olympics]

Sochi 2014

Obverse: "Patchwork quilt" design representing different regions of Russia. Reverse: Name of the competition in English and the Sochi logo. Edge: words "XXII Olympic Winter Games" in Russian, English, and French

Albertville 1992

Obverse: Glass set into the metal, showing the Olympic rings in front of mountains. Reverse: Rear side of glass section

[importantwomensbirthdays]

Sofia Goggia

Alpine skier Sofia Goggia was born in 1992 in Bergamo, Italy. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Goggia won the gold medal in the women's downhill event. After a crash left her on crutches for several days, she won a silver medal in the downhill at the 2022 Olympics. That same year, Goggia won the downhill event at the World Cup with two broken fingers. Her record includes a total of 18 downhill wins at the World Cup.

[lboogie1906]

Herschel Junior Walker (March 3, 1962) is a former football running back who played in the NFL for 12 seasons. He was the Republican nominee in the 2022 Senate election in Georgia.

He played college football at the University of Georgia, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a junior. He spent the first three seasons of his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the US Football League and was the league’s MVP during its final season. He joined the Dallas Cowboys, earning consecutive Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors (1987-88). He was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. He was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants before retiring with the Cowboys. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

He was a member of the US bobsleigh team at the 1992 Winter Olympics and competed in MMA fights with Strikeforce (2010-11). He served as a co-chair on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition under President Donald Trump (2019-20). He launched his first political campaign in Georgia’s 2022 Senate election and won the Republican nomination with 68% of the vote. He faced incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock for the seat, losing in a runoff election.

He was born in Augusta, Georgia to Willis and Christine Walker. He was raised in Wrightsville, Georgia. He was one of seven children.

He married college sweetheart, Cindy DeAngelis Grossman (1983-2002). They have a son, a social media influencer who went viral for his conservative rants. He married Julie (2021). He has two additional sons and a daughter. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[thesidemascots]

MASCOTS REACT TO FANFICTION ABOUT THEMSELVES! (Sidemascots 2.2)

Starring…

THE SIDEMASCOTS!

Vinicius: Season 2!

DISCLAIMER: This episode is overly exaggerated and DOES NOT reflect the opinions of the author regarding the stories. All but one are from Idea Wiki and original ideas are reserved to respective creators.

Burke: What do you mean we’re reacting to Fanfiction about ourselves?! We’re original characters!

Vinicius: Well Sidemascots does count.

Burke: Ugh…

Sacha: Let’s go binge 5 hours of Sidemascots…

Burke: FINE!

Miraitowa: Miraitowa and the Olympic Spirit is a Japanese anime series based on Miraitowa and Someity, as well as other Olympic and Paralympic mascots. The series focuses on the mascots teaming up to save the Olympics and the spirit from Ares, the god of war, who wants to use them as his own vision of competition and hate. Hmmmm… interesting storyline.

Vinicius: Be careful because it’ll only get worse.

Miraitowa: Haha… what?

Wenlock: Yippee! I don’t have a known fanfiction on Google!

Vinicius: Then go to the basement and watch the Sidemascots.

Wenlock: Ugh… fine.

Borobi: Parade of the mascots? Scroll, scroll, scroll… there’s me in it! And… that’s it mate…

Honohon: No results? I’ll take it!

Vinicius: Ugh… This is lame-o!

Honohon: Why don’t you hire someone? You have three vacant spots after all…

Vinicius: Hmmmmm…

[Technical difficulties]

Someity: I was planning for a walk and suddenly I have a notification and forced to stand with THIS bullsh*t?

Miraitowa: Well… you used to be my friend…

Someity: Let me spell this out: ABCDEF…

Vinicius: CUT! BEFORE SHE ACTUALLY SWEARS SOMETHING!

Olympic Phryge: Para? Excuse me, Vini, try to find a better one.

Vinicius: Why?

Olympic Phryge: SHE’S STILL DRUNK!

Vinicius: … (disappears)

Olympic Phryge: Oh… uhm… The Phryges is an American-Canadian-French Television Shorts series that ran from January 1st 2024 - January 1st 2025 created by The Olympic Quest producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and Paw Patrol and Bob the Builder creator Keith Chapman. The series is produced by Calibara Animation, with animation provided by 9 Story Media Group in Toronto, Canada, the same who made the welcome ad. The series is broadcast during commercial breaks on Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and streams on Max Worldwide and on NBC in the United States.

Scroll, scroll, scroll: The Last Supper: The Phryges, together with Miraitowa and Cobi, are forced to apologize to the IOC due to butchering The last supper. If they don´t do it, they can't go to Chuck E Cheese's?! What do you mean by “butchering” the Last Supper? It’s a piece of art! Oh, bad execution in the opening ceremony… hehehe… STOP TOUCHING ME, PARA!

Vinicius: Powder! Powder?!

Cobi: Cobi is a 2025 American-Spanish film Computer animated sports comedy action and superhero film, produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and 20th Century Animation in collaboration with Birdo Studio, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film is based on the 1992 Summer Olympics Mascot, the Paralympic Mascot Petra, and the TV series The Cobi Troupe, and was created to maintain legacy of the 1992 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Paralympics? I’m 43 years old!

Director: I don’t care!

Cobi: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

Miraitowa: It’s 2020 (pfffffffft) Tokyo-san!, The Olympics have come to a start (pffffffffft) for all including Miraitowa and his mascot friends from the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympics and Paralympics! But, the terrorist named Lance wants to take control of the Olympicverse by stealing the five rings of power! Miraitowa, Someity, Vinicius, Tom, Wenlock, Mandeville, Soohorang, Bandabi, and all the others must find the five rings and save the Olympicverse from being conquered by Lance! Lance? Like… Lance Armstrong?

Someity: I’m outta here.

Miraitowa: SEE YA NEXT MONDAY!

Tina: The Olympic Winter Quest: Rise of the Frozen Queen is a 2026 action-adventure movie directed by Paolo Sorrentino and distributed by Warner Bros., FilmAuro, and IOC Films. It will premiere in 2026, and will feature the Frozen Queen as the main villainess, whom Tina the heroic white stoat opposes, but she only gets bullied due to her size. Her plan is to freeze all of Italy, not just Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan, and threatens to ruin the Olympics AND Disney. Only Tina and the Olympic mascots will put a stop to her plan? The cold never bothered me anyway…

Olympic Phryge: Oly, the main protagonist and the mascot of the 2024 Summer Olympics. She is a friendly and confident Phrygian cap and likes to help, but she can get angry sometimes, like when all of the past mascots make fun of her for her similarity to a dorito. Phew. As long as they don’t compare me to something that can potientially demonetize this channel!

Sumi: At Sidemascots, Demonetization = Skibidi Ohio Fun!!!!

Vinicius: SUMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

Olympic Phryge: …STOP GRABBING MY LEG, PARA! DISGUSTING!

Vinicius: Powder?

Director: She’s left.

Vinicius: News already spread about her after her accidental appearance in the last episode.

Director: No one bothered. Fancy hiring me, your director OC IV?

Vinicius: NO!

Olympic Phryge: The Olympic Quest also included an airline safety video?

La’eeb: DID SOMEBODY SAY… AIRLINE SAFETY VIDEO?!

Olympic Phryge: NO, NOT THAT CRAPPY SONG! AND GET OUT OF ME, PARA, I’M NOT A TREE!

Vinicius: Mascotverse Academia?

Sacha: Uh-hm.

Vinicius: It’s f- (Sacha whips bazooka at him) No, it’s great! You should give it a try… #ad

Miraitowa: Crystal Dark Pinkie… (INHALES) Aw, shit, here we go again.

Olympic Phryge: Paralyzed Paralympic Mascots is a American horror drama series based on Paralympic mascots. It was directed by FlurrySnowGirl2006. It tells a story of a group of friends who are shocked by ghosts in a haunted house, and the Paralympic mascots saved themselves from dangerous ghosts? Forget Paralyzed Paralympic Mascots! Let’s make a biopic about Para instead! I’M NOT FOOD, PARA!!!

Vinicius and Miraitowa: Olympic and Paralympic mascots: Kids on stage? (INHALE) Aw, shit, here we go again…

TV: *The Sidemascots Special…Starring the Sidemascots!...What are we supposed to do? Sorry, guys I’ve ran out of ideas…*

Sacha: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I KNEW IT WAS COMING!

Burke: Chill bro!

Sacha: THAT PTSD EPISODE! I HATE IT SO MUCH!

Burke: Skip to Sidemascots 1.10 I guess?

Sacha: Phew… Gimme gimme!

Olympic Phryge: Vini, you haven’t read any of the fanfiction about yourself!

Vinicius: Sorry, Oly… I’ve already read all of those months ago!

Olympic Phryge: Are they good?

Vinicius: Uhhhhhh… let’s just say they’re… chaotic

(Oly suddenly sees Para with… something that Oly scares of?)

Olympic Phryge: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA- GET OUT OF ME PARA! HELP! HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!

Miraitowa: The corrupted mascot circus? (thanks @jaymewolf999)

(Mirai was kidnapped and sent into a circus dressed as Pomni feeding him like sh*t. He smiled… nervously?, also “Your new home” was played in the background)

THE SIDEMASCOTS!

Vinicius: Season 2!

...

Sumi: So you don’t have something to say before you closes off? Ha, ha, Let me do it!

Vinicius: SHUT UP SUMI!

[guerrerense]

Savoie Olympique 1992 por Jean-Marc Frybourg Por Flickr: During the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville, Savoie, France (in the French Alps), many additional passenger trains were organized for the event. Here is one of them. It is a Satolas – Savoie Olympique shuttle. It served the Lyon Satolas “Saint Exupéry” airport - Albertville - Bourg-Saint-Maurice line. The picture was shot in Landry, on the Altbervtille to Bourg-Saint-Maurice line, also called the Tarentaise line. Tarentaise is the name of the upper Isère River valley. Landry is the last station before the end of the line. The usual itinerary starts from Lyon however for the Olympic Games, the additional shuttles started from the airport. These shuttles were push-pull trains. The locomotive is one of the ubiquitous French “BB Jacquemin”. This one, the BB-25240, belongs to the dual voltage 25200 class subseries. The village in the background is Bellentre, which belongs to The La Plagne Tarentaise town community, a major ski resort. It sits right above the “Nationale 90” highway, a road often blocked by traffic jams on winter vacation weekends, as this is the main itinerary to the many ski resorts in the area. Photo © JM Frybourg – 92 - 25-02/92-36 - 8883

[aphfanficwriters]

Monthly Members' Fics — Jan 2024

In the year of a dragon by mossy_man (China/Russia, Russia/Spain) “I neglected your needs,” Yao sighs and scuttles closer and there is a slice of persimmon at Ivan’s lips. The gel slides over his lower lip and he catches it with his tongue. “Forgive me, Vanya. Blinded by my own bitterness, I was a poor host and a poor giver.”

Euphoria by Delgumo (Canada/Russia) Matthew enjoys a drunken quickie with a somewhat strange gentleman.

Before The Reyse (Part One) by proosh (Lithuania/Prussia) Day 1 - Soulmate tattoo/childhood promise. Tolys could smell the ocean from where he waited... It was just before the raiding season would begin in full and his brother was late.

Before The Reyse (Part Two) by proosh (Lithuania/Prussia) Day 7 - Not for you/mistaken identity It was their usual meeting spot before each of the raiding seasons, midsummer and midwinter. He could smell the ocean from here, bitter and churning from the autumn storms… Tolys was late.

The Hunt (Part One) by proosh (Lithuania/Prussia, implied Prussia/Russia) Day 2 - Omegaverse/hunting party All Russia had been summoned to the call to chase the French from their lands, and the winter in all its fury had come with them… Next to his brothers stood the interloper.

The Hunt (Part Two) by proosh (Lithuania/Prussia) Day 4 - Gifts/trophies They fell upon the stragglers at the frozen gully… Tolys didn’t get a chance to have a good look at them before the killing started.

Better than Gold by Jestemburakiem (Lithuania/Prussia, past Lithuania/Russia) Written for day four of Lietpru week The Story of Lithuania during the most pivotal moments of the modern history of his country: The 1992 Summer Olympic Men's Basketball Tournament. Prussia takes notice of this.

Макдоналдс by Delgumo (America/Russia) Russia and America host the grand opening of the first McDonald's in Russia.

So pour the champagne by mossy_man (Prussia/Russia) Some would love a house with white fence, a dozen or so of kids and a dog. Not Gilbert. Gilbert is perfectly fine as he is.

1001 Ways To Die — Chapter 7: Dying Days 2 by NashTea (Fishandnear) (Germay/Japan) Another impromptu session between Kiku and Ludwig partaking in their favourite activity, this time, it's a little different for Kiku.

Joy in Punishment by Delgumo (Canada/Russia) [no summary]

Little lamb by mossy_man (Mongolia/Russia) “Mongolia is like the sun,” he says. His big hands map Mongolia's face. “Lie down, for I am going to fuck you.”

we begin again by hopeless_nostalgia (England/Japan) After Kiku finds a bunch of old photos, he and Arthur go through them, causing old feelings to resurface.

because it's you, I'm fine by hopeless_nostalgia (England/Japan) Arthur is training to be an idol in Japan, which (obviously) requires him to learn Japanese. But it's a struggle… he keeps failing at the same points, over and over again. He feels so hopeless that he decides to skip class, go for a walk, and decide if it was even worth it—because at this rate, it will take years before he comes even close to debuting...

a scene without you by hopeless_nostalgia (England/Japan) Two years ago, Arthur graduated and went back to London. Kiku lost all contact with him a month before he boarded the plane, when in an odd little café, they decided that a long-distance relationship wouldn't work for them and that breaking up would be for the best. Now that these two years have passed, Kiku knows that that was not true. He sits in that same café, at that same table, and wishes there was a way to turn back time…

my heaven by hopeless_nostalgia (England/Japan) “You know… If you want to, we can still have a wedding,” Kiku suggested. “That might not be a bad idea,” Arthur chuckled weakly. “Maybe we should.”

[atotaltaitaitale]

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The end… for the second time in a month.

We needed those two weeks in between so we could miss you, Olympics, but after the Closing Ceremony on August 11, we knew deep down that we would get to experience all that joy again for the Paralympics. This time it’s really the end. We need to go back to our lives and you have timed it perfectly with La Rentrée.

While the Olympic Game and the Paralympic Game are 2 different entities and managed by 2 different committees, Paris2024 wanted the Paralympics to be a true extension of the Olympics. For the first time the emblem (a golden circle with a white flame inside, a stylized rendition of Marianne) and the motto (Games Wide Open/Ouvrons Grand les Jeux) were shared by both events, and even the Olympic and Paralympic mascots were the same: the famous (infamous?) Phryge, albeit an able-bodied Phryge for the Olympics and a prosthetic Phryge for the Paralympics.

While Paris was hosting the Olympics for the third time, it was actually the first time the city had hosted the Paralympics (France has hosted one Winter Paralympics in 1992 in Albertville, while the next one will be in 2030). In fact, the Paralympics began in 1948 with a small gathering of British veterans of the Second World War at Stoke Madeville Hospital (hence why the Paralympics flame is lit there) on the opening day of the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. But the first official Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960, and since then they have been held in the same year as the Olympic Games, but in a different city or even country. Since 1988 in Seoul, the Paralympics have been held immediately after the Olympics in the same city and using most of the same venues. Bidding to host the Olympic Games means bidding to host the Paralympic Games as well.

The Paralympic Games have a tremendous track record of transforming host cities and countries, improving the lives of people with disabilities and all those with accessibility needs and acting as a catalyst to improve accessibility. In France, since 2008, able-bodied and Paralympic medalists have received the same amount of money depending on the medal won [NB: since 2021 for the USA paralympiques!]. Since the London 2012 Olympics, guides (para-athletics, para-triathlon, para-cycling and para-triathlon) who accompany visually impaired or blind athletes have also been rewarded with a medal when the athlete reached the podium. The Paralympics are here to drive change in the world and drive this "inclusion revolution".

To say that Paris2024 was amazing is an understatement. But there is something even more special about the Paralympics. Yes all athletes are super-humans but Paralympians are a cut above and we got to see 4,400 athletes from 168 delegations compete in 549 medal events across 22 sports. I've always admired Paralympians but after attending even more events this time than at the Beijing2008 games, I’m in total awe of their abilities beyond their disabilities. The words I heard the most often at the events: Incredible. Unbelievable. Amazing. Everyone seems to be in admiration of the athletes. You can't help but be in amazed when you are in the stands of Paris La Defense Arena cheering the athletes of the Para swimming events or astonished by the complete silence of 12,000 spectators in the Stade Eiffel Tower for Blind football followed by an eruption of applause when a team scores a goal (any team for that matter… although the cheering might be slightly louder when Team France is on the field), that’s also where I got to experience a silent, slow ola where the public rose to their feet in a gentle, synchronised way to create a perfectly silent Mexican wave. The Grand Palais was as packed as for the Olympics for para taekwondo or wheelchair fencing, both events I attended. I couldn’t not go to the gorgeous Para equestrian venue on the grounds of the Palais de Versailles and got again to do the Silent Applause: a very important part of Para Equestrian that encourages the fans to cheer without distracting the rider and the horse. As I never make it to the French Open, the Men's single medals in wheelchairs tennis were the events that finally took me to the mythic Roland Garros central court. I’m not a huge fan of tennis in general (I know the players, and follow the Grand Slam from afar) but the Gold/Silver match between Japan's Tokito Oda (Gold Medalist) and Britain's Alfie Hewett (Silver Medalist) was a real treat and kept us on the edge of our seat for three sets. I may have to look for wheelchair tennis events to watch in the future. Finally one cannot experience the Games (Olympic and/or Paralympic) without attending at least some of the Athletics events at Stade de France. The atmosphere on the final night of the game was electric.

The Olympics are always very popular and well televised but the Paralympics tend to be a bit less enthusiastic and not as well-followed (often due to the lack of media coverage unfortunately). In Paris, however, there were huge crowds at the venues, and local fans not only supported the French athletes, they cheered on athletes from all over the world and made sure the athletes felt welcome. As IPC President Andrew Parsons mentioned in his closing ceremony: For a country famous for its fashion and food, France is now famous for its fans. With more competing countries, more women and more global coverage than ever before, Paris 2024 has set a benchmark for all future Paralympic Games.

With 10 Paralympic and 4 Olympic events, I've had a busy summer in Paris and I’m so glad we’ve decided to stay in town and experience the Games. And yet, there are so many more sporting events I would have love to have seen, especially for the Paralympics: wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, etc, etc. Who knows if I’ll ever live again in a city hosting the Games. Twice was already great.

From Tony Estanguet's closing ceremony speech: This summer, France had a date with history, and the country showed up. France dared to imagine things that had never been done before: the first Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games outside a stadium, the first marathon open to all, the first Games in the heart of the city. France dared to believe in the power of sport.

With the Games, we rediscovered our heritage, our creativity and our capacity to achieve great things. We rediscovered our joie de vivre, our impertinence at times, and above all, all the positive energy that exploded in the stands! These Games will have been an encounter between France and itself. The France that smiles. The France that loves itself. The France that we are proud of. The France that breaks records: Olympic medal records, Paralympic medal records, Spectator records, Audience records, Atmosphere records, “Allez Les Bleus" records.

From Olympic Rings to Paralympic Agitos… Everything must come to an end but memories last forever.

PS: There was no “addressing the elephant in the room” with the Paralympics Opening Ceremony… it was just perfect; although seeing the gorgeous sunset as the Paralympics athletes walked down the Champs Élysées towards the Place de la Concorde was slightly bittersweet as it reminded us of what the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony could have been like (if it hadn't rained that evening).

Edit: Paris2024 sold 12 millions tickets. 9.5 for the Olympics and 2.5 for the Paralympics!!

[branloaf]

Some of the tags in my Summer Olympics poll mention the winter games so I thought I'd make a second one.