3 Aweseome Sports Unique to the Paralympics

The Olympics may be over, but the Paralympics are still going strong over in Brazil. Even though the US isn’t doing as well in the Paralympics as they did in the regular Olympics (I’m sure a lack of Phelps isn’t helping), it’s still worth your time to check out what these awesome athletes are up to. The Paralympics grew out of a small gathering of British World War II veterans in 1948. Since then it has grown to be one of the largest athletic events in the world.

Boccia

Often referred to as “bocce ball” in the United States, boccia is a sport of strategy and precision. Think, shuffleboard or the summer equivalent of curling. Even though boccia is often thought of as warm weather beach time activity, it was originally designed for those with cerebral palsy.

For the full blog, go to NicholasFainlight.org.

Why Michael Phelps Is Awesome (to me)

It’s no secret that I like Michael Phelps. In fact, I think he’s awesome. It’s not just that he’s a good swimmer (he is a good swimmer). It’s not just that he’s a good guy (he is a good guy). It’s a confluence of factors both objective and personal. Here’s what they are:

The Medals

I might as well come right out and say it, otherwise you’ll be reading through the rest of the post thinking “yeah, yeah, yeah, but what about the medals”. Yes, with 23 gold medals and 28 overall, Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian ever.

There’s no two ways about it Michael Phelps is a swimmer of legendary proportions. Time and time again he’s been able to break world records and then eventually his own records. In a sport where many participants push the boundaries of the human body in water, he manages to push the boundaries even more. Yes. He’s had a lot of medals. Yes he’s a great swimmer. But he’s also so much more…

For the full blog, go to NicholasFainlight.org.

The Six Biggest Gold Medal Years for the US Olympics Swimming Team

Team USA is off to a great start at the Rio Games. On the women’s team, Katie Ledecky managed a record-breaking time in the 400-meter freestyle final, netting her the gold, and Leah Smith came in third, earning a bronze. Meanwhile on the men’s team, Adam Peaty took the gold in the 100-meter breaststroke, while Cody Miller netted the bronze in the same event.

But what about the man himself, Michael Phelps? Well, Mr. Phelps and the rest of the men’s 4×100 relay team managed to score a gold. Although Phelp’s performance was jaw-dropping, Nathan Adrian, Caeleb Dressel, and Ryan Held also gave an admirable performance.

Here’s a look at the final results for the top three teams:

United States – 3:09.92

France – 3:10.53

Australia – 3:11.37

That relay made for Michael Phelps 23rd olympic medal and his 19th gold. Both of which are world records.

Michael Phelps >CNN.com

In honor of this fortuitous start to the olympics, here’s a look at the US Swimming Team’s 5 Biggest Gold Medal Years. I pulled the below information by poring over the info available on theUS Swimming Team’s Official Site…

For the full blog, go to NicholaFainlight.org