London 2012 Countdown

My Amazing Day!

On Thursday 29^th of September we had a very exciting day at Portway Junior School! There was a band called FTW that came. FTW stands for Free The World. In the hall we watched them perform and they were very good. Next we went out side to have a talk and get autographs signed.

Then we went into the dining room to wait to see… PETER NORFOLK!!! There he was, racing into the dining hall in his wheelchair. Peter Norfolk is a paralympic tennis player.

Peter Norfolk has three tennis wheel chairs and they are very expensive. They cost £4000 each!

In the afternoon we met Peter Hull; he is a very famous swimmer and has won 6 gold medals in the Paralympic Games.

Meeting Peter Hull made me feel amazed. Meeting Peter Norfolk made me feel cool. Seeing FTW and meeting Tom and Kyle was exciting.

I enjoyed the day and now I feel inspired to try my hardest and do my best so that I can succeed in what ever I want to do in life.

By Callum Skelly 5AW 

Peters Come to Portway

On Thursday 29^th September 2011 Peter Hull and Peter Norfolk came on a visit to Portway Junior school for the launch of the Paralympics at Portway junior school!

Peter Norfolk

Peter Norfolk is a great man who was in a motor bike accident and is now in a wheelchair. When he plays tennis he can serve up to 92 mph that’s just outstanding! Peter trains from three to four hours a day; he also has three wheelchairs worth £4000 each. Wheelchair tennis is the same as normal tennis, but you can do two bounces although Peter prefers to do one bounce, because it gives the opponent less time! Year Five got to hold his medals which was a great honour! They were quite heavy! Some of Year 5 got to ride in his wheelchair, but only if they asked a good questions!

Peter Hull

Peter Hull is just an outstanding man who can swim with small arms and no legs! Its amazing because he must have a lot of upper body strength. When he first tried to swim he nearly ended up drowning so he started off with a ring around his neck which helped him get used to being in water. But … he had an advantage … He can float very well! When he was ten he entered his first swimming competition. His nickname used to be Bob, because he’s always bobbing out of the water! In 1991 Peter Hull got his MBE from the Queen which was one of the greatest days of his life.

When Peter was young he liked playing snooker, table tennis and doing archery.

I learnt that Peter Norfolk wanted to be a footballer when he was ten but now is a devoted Paralympian! I also learnt that Peter Hull is a sports development officer with a very supportive family and that in Barcelona 1992 he won three gold medals!

By Shanice Allan   

Famous Paralympians

On Thursday 29^th September 2011 we had two famous Paralympians come to Portway Junior School. They were both gold medallists.

PETER NORFOLK

In the morning Peter Norfolk came in and he told us about his life. We know that he was born in London, he is fifty years old and there was a tragic accident when he was 19. He crashed his motorbike and broke his back. Also he wanted to be a footballer like Pele when he was 9-10.

So his dreams were ruined but he found new ones. He then started playing tennis at the age of thirty. He has three wheelchairs:  a normal one for out and about and two for playing tennis with. They cost over £400 each! When Peter plays tennis he can serve up to 81-90 mph. He has a wife and two children and runs his own business. In the Athens Paralympic Games in 2004 Peter won gold and silver. Wheelchair tennis has the same rules as normal tennis, apart from players are allowed two bounces. We learnt that Peter uses one bounce because it gives his opponent less time! He also has a OBE from the Queen.

PETER HULL

Peter Hull was born without arms or legs. He is a Paralympian swimmer. Well, you’re probably sitting there thinking “that’s not true!” Believe it or not, it is true! Peter uses his own method to swim. He sometimes uses a rubber ring around his neck to support him. He never ever eats junk food. His favourite stroke is back stroke and because he has no arms or legs he floats easily.The first time Peter got into the swimming pool he nearly drowned.

Peter Hull and Peter Norfolk are two really nice people and what they can do, even though they have a disabled body is amazing! The best part of my day was meeting the two paralympians which was outstanding!

Cameron Walker 5SF