Cyclist Sugiura, 50, becomes Japan's oldest gold medalist

These events just don’t make sense because these athletes all have different levels of disabilities. Some are so much more severely disabled than others and they will never win any medals! It’s just disheartening and depressing for severely disabled people to watch another less severe disabled person to beat them and get medals! Better groupings need to be done for a more competitive event! The executives are more concerned about filling their pockets rather than developing better categories for para athletes to compete with each other.

Different disabilities, so it isn't even. nonsensical.

These events just don’t make sense because these athletes all have different levels of disabilities.

I agree. I watched a swimming race last week and it was clear to me that the least disabled athlete was the strongest and ended up winning the Gold. Some of the competition were missing limbs and the winner just had some paralysis in the hand.

However, lets be real here, there just aren't that many disabled people in the world with the exact same disability as someone else so they try to make it as fair as possible. Though, for the Japanese cyclist in the article, having memory problems doesn't seem to be an impairment in cycling and her years of pro-cycling put her far ahead of the competition, despite having paralysis. Doesn't actually seem fair that she has probably over 30 years of cycling experience and she is racing against 20 year olds with similar disabilities. Perhaps she should be competing at the Seniors Games.

@ Jim. I agree with you. There are so many disabilities and since it's a spectrum disorder some people are much more disabled than others. It doesn't seem fair. Example: people who are legally blind can still have partial vision while others are entirely blind. It's not fair.

Memory loss? Seriously? Maybe I can join the next games... I'm terrible with names and usually forget the item I went upstairs to get. There must be a category for me.... F2 Slightly forgetful.

GaijinjlandToday  12:05 pm JST

@ Jim. I agree with you. There are so many disabilities and since it's a spectrum disorder some people are much more disabled than others. It doesn't seem fair. Example: people who are legally blind can still have partial vision while others are entirely blind. It's not fair.

Usually athletes in the sports under the visually impaired category wear a blindfold.

It might not be obvious because some of the items they wear these days just look like visors as the science behind the sports have evolved.

Mr KiplingToday  01:01 pm JST

Memory loss? Seriously? Maybe I can join the next games... I'm terrible with names and usually forget the item I went upstairs to get. There must be a category for me.... F2 Slightly forgetful.

Way to go being selective on what you read before making a comment. Here's full sentence with the context. Probably doesn't suit your argument, but facts are facts:

*"Sugiura has paralysis on the right side of her body** and memory impairment suffered after a fall in a cycling race when she was 45 years old."*

Tokyoite.....

Way to go on not spotting humor.... But lets face it the biggest joke are these games and their categories.

But such a huge waste of public funds is not really a laughing matter.

Categories will never be fair, whatever they are trying to do. But that's the same for basket-ball or other sports, if your are small, it is difficult to be competitive. So why no having different categories in basket-ball, below 180cm, 180cm-200cm, and over 200cm. That would be fair, no ?

Moreover, what do you want guys. No Paralympics ?

Do you think they would prefer to stay home rather than joining the games ?

I am sure those athletes are all happy to be here, rather than being stuck in an office.

And these games are good to show differences and what people with disabilities can achieve. These athletes have more strength and courage than most of us.

Criticizing will not make things getting better.

TokyoiteToday  02:03 pm JST

Way to go being selective on what you read before making a comment. Here's full sentence with the context. Probably doesn't suit your argument, but facts are facts:

*"Sugiura has paralysis on the right side of her body** and memory impairment suffered after a fall in a cycling race when she was 45 years old."*

Yet she can still ride a bicycle competitively? Perhaps the word paralysis has been re-defined?

Congratulations to medal winners Keiko Sugiura of Japan, Anna Beck of Sweden, and Paige Greco of Australia.

They just showed her ride on NHK 7 news....

She puts power into the pedals throughout the pedal stroke and both arms seem to be fine. She did have a walking stick while being interviewed. I think a better description would be "walks with a limp" rather than paralysis. There were people in her group with one leg.