Associated Press Photograph by Lawrence Morgan

It's the last day of the Paralympics - and what a Parade

Paralympians and Olympians are cheered by the crowds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19540587

Here are pictures of the parade in downtown London on Monday:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-19547157

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/video/2012/sep/10/london-olympic-paralympic-victory-parade-video?newsfeed=true

A zoomable image of the players:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19542767

South African Oscar Pistorius winsT44 400m gold:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19533389

The British swimmer Ellie Simmonds, after she wins silver in the S6 100m Freestyle:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19535560

Winning Friday's 200m, with a new record time of 21.05, Northern Irishman Jason Smyth spoke of his feelings about the Paralympics:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19529905

Now, the sad part. Many Paralympians will return home, especially in poorer countries, to a life of sadness and extreme effort just to get by from day to day. I quote part of Nick Harris' article in the Mail Online, September 8, 2012, with the accompanying photograph:

Gambia’s Paralympians fear they will become even poorer after having been to the Paralympics in London

Two Paralympians from the impoverished West African country of Gambia have told Inside Sport how the London Games will be a 'mixed blessing' for them because they expect to see a decrease in their already meagre incomes as a result of taking part.

Demba Jarsu, 23, took part in the men's T54 100m and 800m events and Isatou Nyang, 28, in the women's races in the same disciplines.

Both are in wheelchairs; Jarsu through polio and Nyang because she was born with deformed legs.

Shortly, Isatou Nyang and Demba Jarsu will be back to the Gambia and reality.

By Wednesday morning, both will be at home in Gambia earning their living by begging on the streets, where they can expect to make around £2 a day.

'It's not easy to get a job when you are disabled in Gambia,' Demba, who receives no formal financial support for his training, tells me. '

There is a stigma. Being at the Games is good because it shows that we are capable of doing things. In time, we hope attitudes change.'

Nyang says: 'It is a mixed blessing. Our long-term goal is to help improve attitudes and, therefore, people's lives. But when we go back, we expect the public to think: "They've been to London. Why should we give money to them any more? They must be rich and famous".'

LOCOG paid for flights and accommodation for Gambia's six-strong delegation, led by the president of the country's Paralympics Association, Sulayman Colley.

But Colley says his association struggles even to obtain wheelchairs, so any secondhand equipment is gratefully received.

He can be contacted through paralympicgambia.weebly.com.

Can you believe this? Can you imagine what people must go through when they are disabled in a developing country?

I hope later on to have Ebrahima Mbowe, who is in The Gambia,to interview these two participants.

Getty Images by Lawrence Morgan

Isatou Nyang in London

Here is Isatou Nyang's and Demba Jarsu, in their blog from The Gambia (Africa):

http://www.thegambiablog.co.uk/tag/isatou-nyang/

I have one more blog on the Paralympics: why there has been almost no coverage in this country, and why NBC did not broadcast a single live performance during the Paralympics.