成人论坛

Beijing

I was really looking forward to Friday's in the Water Cube because I thought it would be a head-to-head between Britain's Sam Hynd and Wang Xiaofu, China's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony.

The form of a couple of months ago indicated that would be where the action was. The race didn't quite pan out like that.

Sam went really well in the morning and broke his own world record and it was good for him to push himself so hard in the heats. More often at you need to put in strong performances in the heats and the finals.

At one end of the Paralympic spectrum you have sports like wheelchair rugby, rowing and wheelchair basketball where power and strength are key.

Then at the other end, you have sports like .

Some people consider the sport unworthy of a place at the top table of Paralympic sport and dismiss it as just a friendly game played by people with cerebral palsy.

Yes, boccia may lack the physicality of some of the other 19 sports on offer , but make no mistake, the skills and passion I saw on Friday as in the BC1/2 team play-off against Portugal assured me the sport fully deserves its place.

Beijing

Whoever said sport was one big soap opera was so right, and if there is one thing I will remember about these , apart from the sport and the splendour of the venues, it will be the drama.

They haven't yet reached the knock-out stages in the men's basketball competition and already have taken us on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

It started with a lack-lustre performance against Australia, which left me clutching my dreads in despair and feeling there was more chance of having a secret love child with than GB winning a medal in the event.

Hong Kong

So it's all over.

For me, this has been a six-week equestrian journey. First, the Olympics with all its highs and lows, then to the with mostly lots of highs.

Once again, Britain has proved itself the best para-dressage nation on the planet with five golds and five silvers. Well done to the riders and everyone involved with the team - it's been an absolute pleasure working with you.

One of the tournament workers said behind me in the interview area when ... "Oh, not another British win?" Yes sireee...

All this success, though, begs the question - why is Britain so good at compared with able-bodied dressage?