In the Paralympics, Blind athletes guides also get a medal?
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Wes Ferrell
Unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to check out the Olympics at all this year but I have been cross country skiing at Ski for Light so I am somewhat familiar with having a guide but to be fair I’m a novice. The attention, directions and fast thinking are an important part of ski times etc…. I do believe the guides need to be recognized but I’m not sure it needs to be in the same category as the skier. It isn’t like running with a guide who is tethered to you, more precise directions are needed.
Mystic Miss Misty
Hornbeck
LordLundin
Hornbeck
I see this as a team effort. I don't know how this came to be, but winter sports may require guides, where summer olympic ones do not for the most part. Track is the only summer olympic modality where some blind athletes use guides. I don't think these guides get medals if the athlete places on top. There's no need for guide throughout most of the other sports where the blind compete. Swimming, goalball, judo and 5-aside football certainly do not require guides, so track is the only one I can think of where they're used. I'm not sure why guides are awarded medals in winter sports, but it could have something to do with them being a bigger part of the events, ie. used in more of the competitions. Iam only guessing here especially since my knowledge of winter parolympic sports is next to 0.