A record 4,403 people took part in the Tokyo Paralympic Games - all of them demonstrating how we can overcome all sorts of problems to achieve our dreams.
Like the sportspeople at the Olympic Games a few weeks earlier (who we saw found all sorts of smart solutions for difficulties), the people with disabilities who battled for medals in the Paralympics all showed they are champions in not letting life's complications hold them back. Even two athletes from Afghanistan made it to Tokyo for the final day, despite all the chaos in their country.
Back in early 2020, we introduced our WoW! tribe to Bebe Vio. Perhaps you remember her? She was dreaming then of a gold medal. A second one to add the one she won in Rio in 2016. But she had to dream for an extra year because COVID meant the Games had to be put back from 2020 to this summer.
Bebe's sport is fencing - fighting with a sword. Since she got an illness when she was 11, Bebe has been in a wheelchair and has no hands. But that hasn't stopped this young Italian from dreaming.
And in Tokyo her dream came true. Bravo Bebe!
It would be boring if we were all the same. It’s beautiful to be different ... My strength lies in making maximum use of what I do have.
Bebe Vio, two time Paralympic fencing champion
