Fireworks over Tokyo in ceremony closed out a formidable fortnight of Paralympic competition. Sadly, bringing this Olympic month in Japan for Tokyo 2020 to an end.
But all good things.
Despite COVID-19 looming large and threatening this tradition like it has our lives and livelihoods. First postponing the “2020” Olympics to this summer of 2021 and still to this day causing controversy. Host city Tokyo kept it as safe and secure as they possibly could and did a great job.
A deep bow for that to this nation who now passes the baton to France for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games that will come in three years time.
But before we sign off live from Tokyo. A place I moved to in 2019 in order to be right on time for Olympics coverage (turns out I was a little early). Let’s take a look at our sport in the last day of the Paralympics. A game that has shown just like its Olympic brother that it can achieve big things, despite adversity. United in emotion and devoted to inspiration.
The advances this embracing city is making in robotics and prosthetics really is reaching out too. To those with a disability who are much more than this definition, but the essence of equality everyone deserves to feel within.
In a year were we saw the street-level big 3×3 tournament make its Olympic debut alongside the men’s and women’s full-court, we’ve also gained a deeper respect and love for Wheelchair Basketball. A game that shows the soul of this sport itself is as deep as the playbook you can draw up to find your own way to the hoop.
After beating Great Britain in the semis, host nation Japan looked to win one of the last golds for their country at home. That advantage was countered by the dominance of Team USA who reigned and retained their gold with a 64-60 win. Despite a five point deficit in the fourth.
Steve Serio starred in the clutch for the stars and stripes with 28 points and 9 dimes as this team scored 8 straight with five minutes to go after being down 56-51.
Winning their second straight gold after Rio 2016, this game in Ariake Arena was a thriller like an MJ album. Back-and-forth like Aaliyah and tied up five times. Not to mention also having three lead changes.
“Japan was the Cinderella story of this tournament, but you couldn’t ask for a more storybook ending for us,” Serio told press afterwards.
Kozai Hiroaki had 18 points and Chokai Renshi 18 rebounds as Japan took silver.
Great Britain also won’t head home empty handed after their elimination by the host to end last week. They beat Spain 68-58 in the bronze medal game for third place. Player-coach Gaz Choudhry had a game-high 19. Continuing his impressive dual role after filling in for coach Haj Bhania, who stayed home after testing positive for COVID-19.
In the women’s Wheelchair Basketball gold medal game the Netherlands won gold, beating China 50-31 after losing to them in the preliminaries. Their only loss of this whole tournament.
Meanwhile this final game was actually China’s first loss of the 2020 Paralympics. But what a game to lose.
After winning bronze in both London (2012) and Rio (2016) the Dutch set themselves a new gold standard in Tokyo.
Bo Kramer who led the Netherlands with 15 points, 9 rebounds and five assists just couldn’t believe it.
“We trained five years for this and that’s what we said to each other, ‘Girls, we’ve done everything that we could. Trust each other and have fun’.”?
The US women took bronze in this tournament, beating Germany 64-51 behind Lindsey Zurbrugg’s 22 and a 12 point and rebound, 10 assist triple-double from Rose Hollermann.
They may have not been able to retake their Rio gold like the US men, but coming this far, that doesn’t matter.
“It’s awesome, to me it doesn’t matter the colour of it,” Hollermann remarked. “It’s amazing that we came here with such a young group and we ended up leaving with a medal.”
Ending epic entertainment for these Paralympic Games, basketball shows it never stops once again as now we have the WNBA playoffs and the new NBA season to look forward to.
Yet, even though the Olympics and the Paralympics are now over, the equality, world reaching and barrier breaking message they have sent everyone will continue to burn like the cauldron’s flame as we carry the torch.
