Difference between Olympics and Paralympics
The Olympics and Paralympics are two major international sporting events that take place every four years.
The main difference is that the olympic is for able-bodied athletes whereas the paralympics is for athletes with physical, intellectual, or visual impairments.
Before we move to the differences, let’s understand what are Olympics and Paralympics:
- Olympics: The Olympics is a worldwide sporting event that takes place every four years where athletes from different countries compete in various sports. The competition includes both individual and team events, and it is the world’s most significant international multi-sport event.
- Paralympics: The Paralympics is also an international multi-sport event similar to the Olympics, but it is specifically designed for athletes with disabilities. The competition includes various sports and events where athletes with different disabilities compete against each other.
Now, let’s move to Olympics vs Paralympics:
Major differences between Olympics and Paralympics
| Olympics | Paralympics |
|---|---|
| Athletes who participate in the Olympics are generally able-bodied individuals who compete in various sports. | Paralympic athletes are individuals with disabilities who compete in adapted sports. |
| The Olympics don’t have any classifications. | The Paralympics have a wider range of classifications to cater for athletes with different types of disabilities. |
| The Olympics have the same medals for all events. | The Paralympics have different medals for different classifications. |
| The Olympics feature a larger number of events for able-bodied athletes. | The Paralympics have a smaller number of events compared to the Olympics. |
| The Olympics has a more traditional and grand ceremony. | The Paralympics has its own unique opening and closing ceremonies. |
That’s it.
Note that sometimes, the question might also be asked as “distinguish between Olympics and Paralympics”.
Also see:
- Difference between Diplomatic Passport and Official Passport
- Difference between Diploma and Graduation
- Difference between ITI and Diploma
Final words
Both the Olympics and the Paralympics are international multi-sport events, the Paralympics is specifically designed for athletes with disabilities. The Paralympics includes different sports adapted to cater for these athletes, and the emphasis is on their achievements and resilience.
Understanding the differences between the Olympics and the Paralympics can help to acknowledge the challenges that disabled athletes face and recognize their achievements more fairly.
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