With the Tokyo Paralympic Games just around the corner here on RNIB Connect Radio we have been chatting with blind and partially sighted Paralympians, sportsmen and sportswomen to gage their thoughts on the Games and how visually impaired members of the GB Paralympic Team may fare in Tokyo. 

Our Toby Davey caught up with Naomi Riches MBE, London 2012 Paralympic Adaptive Rowing Gold medal winner for her thoughts on the games and how Naomi thinks GB visually impaired athletes might do out in Tokyo. 

Toby began by taking Naomi back to the start line of the GB Adaptive Rowing Teams final race of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.  Naomi explained to Toby  how quiet it was on the start line with just the sounds of ores on the water but her heart pounding inside her body.  Toby then asked Naomi What it was like winning Gold in front of a home crowd and Naomi recalled how she could not hear much around her at the time with all the noise of the crowd and it took one of her team mates to tap her on the shoulder and tell her that they had finished the race and won the Gold medal.

Naomi shared with Toby the advice she would give to Ellen Buttrick visually impaired member of the GB Adaptive Rowing Team out in Tokyo as they get ready to compete on the water And Naomi’s thoughts on how the other visually impaired athletes might fare in Tokyo especially without the crowds in the stadiums.

You can follow all the events during the Tokyo Paralympic Games including the opening and closing ceremonies with enhanced audio descriptive commentary and audio described versions of the Paralympic catch-up show ‘Today at Tokyo’ and ‘The Last Leg' with more details on the Channel 4 website - 

https://paralympics.channel4.com