Garcia, who has been almost completely blind from birth, said that out on the judo mat, where opponents try to outwit, unbalance and throw each other, her disability no longer matters. Judo in the Paralympics is reserved for the visually impaired -- some with limited eyesight, others like Garcia with virtually none. There are surprisingly few changes to the way the regular sport is played. And unlike in regular judo, where the clock is visible, a loud buzzer goes off at the one minute warning before the bout ends. Probably the most important difference between Paralympic and regular judo is that judokas keep a grip on their opponent at all times, rather than breaking away and re-gripping as they would usually.

Source: Bangkok Post September 11, 2016 07:07 UTC