OnTrack - December - January 17

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December 2016 / January 2017 • Issue 5

 YOUR DISABILITY SPORTS MAGAZINE

BLIND FOOTBALLER AZEEM AMIR ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, EAT

FREE

GET INVOLVED WITH

GOAL BALL Find out more about the opportunities on offer at West Yorkshire Goalball Club

SUBSCRIPTION

SPECIAL OLYMPICS WINTER GAMES HAVE YOU TRIED ICE SKATING?

 HORSE RIDING  PARATRIATHLON  RACERUNNING  SMART TECH

Help your child to hit the ground running!

Sports and activity prostheses for children are now available from NHS England Limb Centres.

Fully funded by the Department of Health, children under the age of 18 can now benefit from Ottobock’s full range of products specifically designed to meet the needs of the active child.

Whether playing fun games with friends, becoming more involved in PE at school, participating in organised sports or aspiring to be a Paralympian, you’ll #beyourownhero in no time at all.

To see Rio enjoying his new Runner Junior sports prosthesis, follow bladeboyrio on Facebook or @bladeboyrio on Twitter.

Don’t miss out, ask your Prosthetist for more information on the range of Ottobock sports prostheses available to your child. Visit www.ottobock.co.uk for more information. #beyourownhero

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WELCOME  DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017 | ISSUE 5

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hat time of year is upon us once again. The time of year that makes you want to curl up on the couch with a hot chocolate, mince pies and any other festive treats you can get your hands on. Shutting out the dark nights as you settle down for the evening to watch a cheesy Christmas movie before sleepily trudging to bed, hoping to hibernate like a bear until the cold weather has gone and the sun has returned.

But, what if this year you take a different approach to the dark winter nights and instead of curling up on that inviting sofa you take up a sport or join a gym? It can be hard to find motivation and energy around this time of year to get out and exercise, but it can be one of the best things you can do to keep your energy levels up and it will also make you feel less guilty about all the treats you are going to consume over the festive season.

OnTrack is filled with ideas to help you lead an active lifestyle. We hear from West Yorkshire Goalball Club to find out more about this sport and the opportunities open to people with visual impairments. We discover how accessible horse riding has become up and down the country due

to the Accessibility Mark scheme and we take a look at the fantastic opportunities RaceRunning is opening up to a wider world of people with disabilities – with calls for the sport to be included at Tokyo 2020, it is fast becoming a popular pastime, both recreationally and competitively.

This could be the perfect time to give ice skating a go, with temporary ice rinks popping up across the country and many more rinks offering inclusive opportunities, from penguin aids and doublebladed bob skates to gliding across the ice straight from your wheelchair.

The Special Olympics Winter Games are due to take place in March 2017 in Graz, Austria. Turn to page 19 to find out more about the sports, the team and the wider social responsibility that the Games promote.

I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year on behalf of all the team at OnTrack. I am actually off on maternity leave shortly so I will now hand you over to my colleague Niki Tennant who will be happy to help with any of your queries, you can contact Niki on niki@2apublishing.co.uk.

OnTrack Magazine Editor

Like us on Facebook Search for ‘OnTrack Magazine’

Follow us on Twitter @OnTrack_Mag

THE TEAM

CONTACT

DISCLAIMER

Editor: Rosalind Tulloch Acting Editor: Niki Tennant Staff Writer: Lisa Mitchell Staff Writer: Colette Carr Designer: Stephen Flanagan Marketing: Sophie Scott Sales: Robin Wilson, Val Speers

Caledonia House, Evanton Drive, Thornliebank Ind. Est., Glasgow, G46 8JT

OnTrack Magazine is published by 2A Publishing Ltd.

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Tel: 0141 465 2960 Fax: 0141 258 7783

The views expressed in OnTrack Magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Reproduction in part or in whole is strictly prohibited without the explicit written consent of the publisher.

enquiries@2apublishing.co.uk www.ontrackmagazine.co.uk

Copyright 2016 © 2A Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. ISSN 2398-3299

Cover image courtesy of Goalball UK

Member of PPA Scotland

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CONTENTS  DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017

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12 07 THE INSIDE TRACK Keeping you up-to-date with all the current sports news

12 ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET… EAT From purple foods to wonder foods, we get you nutritionally on track for the new year

15 TEEN TITANS We celebrate the teenage stars of Rio 2016

19 SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD WINTER GAMES 2017

We get the low-down on what’s in store for our GB athletes in Graz, Austria

22 NEW TALENT Azeem Amir shares his aspirations of representing his country in blind football 4

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24 SUPERHERO SERIES New mass-participation sport series has launched with the help of some celebrity Team Captains

26 RACERUNNING We find out more about this inclusive sport

29 UNSUNG HEROES We acknowledge the forgotten heroes of the Games, the Ottobock technicians who work tirelessly behind the scenes

32 SMART TECH The latest gadgets to up your game

36 THE GREAT OUTDOORS Embracing adventure, no matter what your ability

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38 HAVE YOU TRIED… Ice skating? This time of year could be the perfect time to don a pair of skates and give it a whirl

42 GETTING BACK IN THE SADDLE More opportunities have opened up within horse riding thanks to the Accessibilty Mark

44 HEINRICH POPOW Heinrich shares his personal journey to becoming a Paralympian

46 PARATRIATHLON Dive into this multi-disciplinary sport

48 SPORTS CLUB FOCUS Goalball takes centre stage magazine.co.uk

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Prepare for jealous looks.

new Visit your local dealer now or go to fiat.co.uk/motability

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Fuel consumption figures for the new Fiat Tipo range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 30.7 (9.2) - 70.6 (4.0); Extra Urban 56.5 (5.0) – 94.2 (3.0); Combined 44.8 (6.3) – 83.1 (3.4). CO2 emissions 147 – 89 g/km. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures based on standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Vehicles shown are Fiat Tipo Hatchback Easy Plus 1.4 95HP with NIL Advance Payment and Fiat Tipo Station Wagon Easy 1.4 95HP with NIL Advance Payment. Advance Payments are correct at time of going to press and subject to orders being placed by 31st December 2016. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. Terms & Conditions apply. Offer may be varied and withdrawn at any time. Subject to stock availability. *Features available on Easy Plus trim only. ^Features available on the Station Wagon only.

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02/12/2016 14:06

 Keeping you up-to-date with what’s happening in the world of disability sport

THE INSIDE TRACK Parents urged to claim funding for kids’ sports prostheses

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he Department of Health has announced that £1.5m government funding which was announced earlier this year for research and the provision of children’s sports prostheses has been ringfenced and is now available for limb centres to access.

Parents in England can now take their children to NHS Limb Fitting Centres to be assessed for eligibility. The funding is open to children and young people under the age of 18. Currently £750,000 has been set aside for the sports limbs with a cap of £5,000 per limb. Limb centres across England can apply for funding up until March 2018 and there are currently no plans in place for future funding, however this is being investigated. It is therefore advisable that parents act fast before the money is gone.

The Department of Health will be working with the charity LimbPower which has been chosen to carry out

an administrative role to support Limb Centres and families through the application process.

The funding will ensure that hundreds of children have the chance to participate in sport. They will no longer need to sit out because their prosthesis isn’t suitable for sports like football, cycling or running.

As one of the top suppliers of mobility products, Ottobock hopes that the government goes further and ensures that there is future funding so all children are offered the chance to be able to participate in sports with their peers. Young adults who want to run or partake in sports will be able to choose from one of the running solutions from the Ottobock sportsline, among other brands.

For more information on Ottobock’s range of innovative solutions that restore mobility please visit www.ottobock.co.uk or follow @ottobockuk.

CP SPORT PARTNERS WITH BRITISH ROWING The partnership aims to improve accessibility of rowing opportunities for people with cerebral palsy and other physical impairments.

The two organisations will come together to develop an action plan outlining key areas of work, with the overall aim of increasing the number of people with cerebral palsy and other physical impairments taking part in rowing.

British Rowing, the governing body for the sport of rowing, both indoor and rowing on water, will work with Cerebral Palsy Sport to effectively promote current participation

opportunities and identify potential gaps in delivery. They will then look to develop an action plan to address these gaps in order to provide more suitable opportunities for people with cerebral palsy to take part and enjoy rowing.

Cerebral Palsy Sport is delighted to be working with British Rowing and sees this partnership as a fantastic opportunity to develop and promote quality sporting opportunities for anyone with a physical impairment. www.cpsport.org www.britishrowing.org

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SPORTS NEWS

AMPUTEE’S GOAL GOES VIRAL Partick Thistle Amputees’ very own Tommy McKay became an overnight sensation after a clip of him scoring a half time chip at his boyhood club Dundee United went viral.

The video was viewed and shared over 2million times and brought a spotlight onto not only Tommy, but the game in Scotland itself.

Tommy spoke at Scotland’s first tournament hosted by the club’s Community Trust and charity Finding Your Feet, welcoming Manchester City, Everton and the University of Limerick and celebrated the launch of Amputee Football Association Scotland (AFAS) run by Finding Your Feet’s Ashley Reid and Thistle’s Paul Kelly.

He said: “It’s been overwhelming, there’s been messages from all over the world. Scottish celebrities have been tweeting the video and people have been asking for autographs - it’s been very surreal!

“I was more concerned with not falling when I took the shot! It was a competition for hospitality tickets and then the next day I had calls from journalists and videos started popping up everywhere!”

The video also saw McEwan Fraser Legal back the team financially to travel to their next tournament in Ireland and boosted the new AFAS. “It’s about attracting as many people as possible and we’ve secured funding for Ireland on the back of the publicity.

“To get that support from your home country’s FA is brilliant, it shows the sport is going in the right direction and it gives you confidence that what you’re doing is good,” he added.

Catch more about the event and AFAS in the next issue of OnTrack.

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GOLFER AIMI IS IN THE SWING English golfer Aimi Bullock played in the footsteps of European Tour event winner Padraig Harrington when she tackled the 18th hole at the Portugal Masters.

Aimi, a member at Woking and Sunningdale Ladies’ Golf Clubs, was one of six players selected to represent the championship’s official charity, the European Disabled Golf Association.

The event raised 22,000 euros for the charity and the cash will help train professionals, therapists, teachers and community workers to introduce golf to children who have a disability.

Aimi, who has multiple sclerosis, joined five other EDGA players at clinics where they showcased their talents and challenged some of the pros to one-handed and one-legged putting contests.

Accompanied by caddies, the players also played the final hole

Saddle up in support of a great cause Join The Big Issue Foundation team on the 10th anniversary year of their first London to Paris cycle challenge.

Between 19 and 23 April, you’ll pedal your way through beautiful English villages and into the stunning countryside of rural France, passing historical landmarks and famous battlefields until you reach Paris.

You’ll be raising vital funds for The Big Issue Foundation, whose vision is to end poverty, homelessness and social exclusion.

People of all ages from all walks of life take part in this once-in-a-lifetime trip.

For more information and to register, see www.bigissue.org.uk/paris

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SPORTS NEWS

after the end of the third round.

Aimi, who said playing the 18th hole was the highlight, commented: “I did pretty good, avoiding the water unlike some of the guys. The experience was amazing, but exhausting. It’s going to take a while to recover.

“Golf is a great sport for disabled people, as anyone can play. It isn’t as demanding on your body compared with other sports. It’s a great way to play competitive sport and stay sharp physically and mentally.”

She is among five English golfers who are showing through England Golf that they won’t let disability get in the way of playing the game. They’re hoping their stories will encourage more people to take up the sport.

Read their inspirational stories by visiting www.englandgolf.org.

JUMP TO IT

People who have disabilities should be jumping at the chance to join Jump Nation’s fun and inclusive sessions in Manchester and Birmingham.

Europe’s largest trampolining arena has fitted supportive slings at the two city bases to enable people to access the trampolines easily and safely.

The same slings will shortly be fitted at the new Runcorn arena. For classes and timetables visit www.jumpnation.co.uk.

Football fans are on the up Disabled fans have swapped battling the Scottish elements at the side of the pitch for a more comfortable view, enjoying matches from the accessible platform at the back of the main stand, a view that Chief Executive Tony Fitzpatrick called the “best in the ground”.

Speaking to OnTrack after the opening which also saw Erskine war veterans make use of the new facility, Fitzpatrick said: “I’ve got to give credit to the Chairman Gordon Scott, it’s something that the club had put to one side, but when Gordon came in, we spoke about the stadium and how we could improve it, and the most important thing was to look after our supporters and especially our disabled fans.

“I think it was a massive showing for the club that we do care for the supporters and there was nothing more pleasing than seeing them get probably the best view in the stadium - it

couldn’t go to a better group of supporters.

“Although it was driven by the football club, it was supported by partnerships. It’s a sad fact of life that it is very expensive to put these things into stadiums so we really appreciate the local businesses, the St Mirren Independent Supporters Association and the Scottish Partnership for all their support.” ©Allan Picken

St Mirren Football Club’s disabled fans had more to cheer about than their side’s 2-1 win over Ayr United on Remembrance Sunday as they took in the action from the Paisley 2021 Stadium’s brand new raised platform.

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SPORTS NEWS

POWERCHAIR FOOTBALL TEAM NETS LIFELINE FUNDING The Crystal Palace FC Foundation powerchair football team has been given a lifeline, thanks to a new funding programme which will secure its future and allow it to expand.

The team was set up three years ago and plays in the Wheelchair Football Association’s south-east league.

Powerchair football is a four-a-side, non-contact sport that can be played by all ages and genders.

Donations came from Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni’s testimonial fund and Palace fan Graham Finch, along with the Robert Eaton Memorial Fund.

The Foundation successfully bid for new funding from the Premier League and BT Disability Programme, which will help it achieve its goal of ensuring a chair costing upwards of £6000 for every player and will cover transport and hall hire costs. It will now look to attract new players. The funding will also enable the Foundation to employ an extra Disability Officer to co-ordinate the programme and expand its activities, including setting up an amputee football team.

WHO’S THE DADI Accenture Interactive was recently awarded the ‘Grand Prix’ at the 10th anniversary Drum Awards for the Digital Industries (Dadi) for its unique wheelchair user fitness tracker app and device, Freewheel.

Judge and executive creative director at StartJG, Patrick Baglee, hailed Freewheel as fulfilling “a clear need… to make a profound social impact.”

Andrew Finlayson, Accenture Interactive managing director, said a major goal was to produce a design that was no more expensive than an average wearable cost and was retrofittable to any wheelchair. www.accenture.com www.dadiawards.com

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SPORT ENGLAND RECEIVES BOOST FOR INSTRUCTABILITY A progressive project which gives unemployed and disabled people the training, qualifications and experience they need to secure work in the leisure industry has received a £380,000 Big Lottery Fund windfall from Sport England.

InstructAbility learned of the massive investment in their project at an awards evening to celebrate the achievements of disabled fitness instructors who have graduated through the scheme.

The project, designed by spinal injury charity Aspire, is delivered in partnership with YMCAfit – one of the UK’s leading training providers in the field of exercise, fitness and activity for health.

Over the last four years, Sport England has funded a national roll-out of the scheme to produce fitness professionals with a vast range of impairments, including wheelchair users, amputees, stroke survivors, deaf and blind people and those with mental health difficulties.

Once deployed within the sector, they can use their unique experience of disability to encourage other disabled people to get active.

National Lottery funding from Sport England will go towards developing a revised delivery model, to embed the InstructAbility programme more effectively within local networks, led by a range of stakeholders including leisure operators and disability organisations.

Working with hundreds of disabled people and leisure operators has given Aspire a unique insight into some of the best and worst practices in the fitness industry when it comes to training and employing disabled people.

Part of the grant will fund an academic research project to produce a ‘best practice’ guidance document for the sector. The project will aim to bring together expertise from disabled people and various organisations seeking to improve inclusion within the sector such as CIMSPA, ukactive, EFDS, YMCAfit and employers.

Find out more at www.instructability.org.uk

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NUTRITION

ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET...

The roast turkey and all the trimmings have been demolished, as have the obligatory turkey curry, turkey pie and turkey broth - and the prosecco is as flat as you feel.

Christmas is over and it’s time to follow another age-old festive ritual: embarking on a New Year, detoxifying healthy eating kick.

The early January urge to suddenly give your body temple status needn’t mean you must eat like a sparrow.

OnTrack has put together a few tasty tips to kickstart your healthy eating routine and shake off the excesses of the Christmas celebrations.

POWER OF PURPLE Believe dieticians when they say that the colour purple is the new green.

Purple veggies are considered to have significantly higher levels of antioxidants and can improve your health and nutrition.

The health benefits of blueberries and even the acai berry have graced the covers of foodie magazines for some time, but there are other lesser-known foods that share the same deep hue.

A survey of eating habits found that adults who eat purple vegetables and blue fruits

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have a lesser risk of high blood pressure, have lower cholesterol and are less likely to be overweight.

The virtues of purple fruit and vegetables can be attributed to plant compound anthocyanin, which gives the fruit and veg its rich colour and is known to soothe inflammation. Its many qualities help the immune system to fend off disease and, it is claimed, can improve memory and overall brain function.

There’s more to purple veggies than the humble, much maligned cabbage.

Increasingly seen on the shelves of supermarkets and fruit and veg specialists are Chinese leaves, cauliflowers, lettuce, kale and endives – all in the colour purple.

Pretty-up your plate further with skinon purple heart or red rooster potatoes, beetroots, purple carrots, aubergines, rhubarb, turnips, the cabbage family’s kohlrabi and even flavour-bursting Cherokee purple heirloom and cherry tomatoes.

WONDER FOODS Chefs are increasingly turning to highly nutritional ‘sprouted’ grains and seeds shoots that are harvested before they turn

into fully-fledged plants – to decorate dishes. Buy them in health food stores to sprinkle over soups, smoothies and porridge with abandon this year. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can buy a kit and grow them at home.

But it’s not just the ground that is capable of producing nutritious, energy boosting vegetables. Seaweeds – a food you’re probably not eating, but should be - are among nature’s true wonder foods.

You’ve likely chewed on seaweed wrapped around a sushi roll, but few Westerners would consider picking up a bag of the stuff at the supermarket. It might be time to think again. Seaweed is filled with antioxidants, calcium and a broad range of vitamins, but that doesn’t begin to scratch the slippery surface of this fascinating food.

A member of the algae family, edible seaweed typically comes in three varieties: brown, red and green. The most commonly consumed are the brown varieties such as kelp, followed by red seaweed, which includes sushi chefs’ favourite, nori.

You’re most likely to find seaweed in a small kelp salad, simmered into miso soup, or wrapped around a sushi roll. Seaweed contains vitamins A and C and is also a

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NUTRITION

source of calcium, which is one of the reasons some red seaweed supplements are used to treat osteoarthritis. It is also an extraordinary source of a nutrient missing in almost every other food: iodine.

Consuming healthy levels of iodine is important to maintaining a healthy thyroid, a gland in your neck which helps produce and regulate hormones. A malfunctioning thyroid can result in fatigue, muscle weakness and high cholesterol.

Seaweed is normally sold dried, but you can find your inner chef after a spot of seaside foraging. Try your hand at TV chef James Martin’s mouth-watering Pembrokeshire seaweed recipe, which includes clams, mussels, samphire, red seaweed, tomatoes, white wine, a dash of lemon and cream.

SNACK TIME When a snack attack strikes, you can eat neat without feeling guilty. Give a runny egg and soldiers a healthy twist by dipping asparagus spears rather than bread. It’s a low fat, glutenfree nibble with just over 100 calories.

spread half a ripe avocado on a slice of wholemeal toast for a tasty, wholesome low GI snack that contains just 220 calories. A superfood, avocado is rich in vitamin E, high in monounsaturated fats and it is a good source of potassium. Sprinkle with a dash of chilli sauce for an extra kick.

Blitz roasted red peppers and walnuts to make a colourful hummus and serve with courgette, celery and carrot batons.

If your stand-by supper is a baked potato with tuna, switch to sweet potato and add a fresh and spicy topping which is budgetfriendly and low in fat. Mix red onion through the tuna, along with red chilli, lime juice and Greek yogurt, then scatter with coriander leaves.

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS It is widely acknowledged that nutritional requirements vary depending on age, weight and lifestyle.

For a tasty side dish, try Indian oven chips by dusting potato wedges with turmeric, ginger, garlic and fennel seeds.

Pregnancy and health conditions such as diabetes demand special nutritional consideration. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, to learn that athletes and sports enthusiasts have distinctive nutritional needs too.

If dinner’s at eight and you just can’t wait,

Nutritionists claim some heart-healthy

habits, such as eating high-fibre foods, are, in fact, counterproductive for athletes in training. Athletes need calories to regenerate muscle mass and for optimal metabolism functioning.

Unless you’re working out or running for more than an hour, dieticians say it isn’t necessary to consume sports drinks. Rather, drinking water, green tea or juice will effectively keep you hydrated.

Fizzy drinks top the list of high calorie, nutrient-empty fuel. Although diet fizzy drinks don’t contain sugar, studies have shown artificially sweetened products don’t aid weight loss.

Protein bars and energy bars are quick, convenient sources of nutrients, but can be highly processed and high in saturated fat, and can’t compare to eating a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts.

Fuel up this winter with vitamin-rich, fibrefilled, cold-fighting soups. A hearty dose of vegetables, such as garlic, onions, leeks and tomatoes, can improve your cardiovascular health. Some of the more protein-rich soups - chicken vegetable soup, lentil soup and smoky black bean stew - are great after a workout, when you need muscle-repairing protein, plenty of liquid and some salt to ensure you’re hydrated.

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TEEN TITANS

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TEEN TITANS Image © Simon Brady

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he country was captivated by the super-human accomplishments of the inspirational Paralympians who proudly flew the flag for GB at Rio 2016.

Particularly remarkable, though, is the soar-away success of the ‘teen titans’ who swapped the school playground for the Paralympic medal podium, with the admiring eyes of the world upon them.

OnTrack applauds the awesome achievements of some of Britain’s teenage sporting superstars. 

 SOPHIE HAHN (19) Nottinghamshire’s Sophie was bitten by the running bug after being glued to television footage of London 2012. At Rio, she snatched the gold in the 100m race in a Paralympic record lightening time of 12.62.

The track star also claimed silver in the women’s T35-38 4x100m relay final. “I never assume and try to stay humble,” says Sophie.

“I would like to think that I can inspire people through what I have accomplished in athletics, helping people achieve their personal goals in life.”

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TEEN TITANS

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 ELLIE ROBINSON (15)

 ALFIE HEWETT (19)

Teenage Paralympic champion Ellie Robinson is hoping to inspire a new generation of swimmers.

Ellie, from Northampton, made a splash by winning gold at Rio 2016 and setting a Paralympic record in the S6 50m butterfly final. Ellie, who has a form of dwarfism and has relied on crutches since the age of 11, also scooped bronze in the S6 100m freestyle. She was inspired by watching her now Great Britain team-mate and namesake Ellie Simmonds at London 2012.

Wheelchair tennis ace Alfie, from Norfolk, won silver in both the singles and doubles events at Rio 2016. He is currently 8th in the world men's singles rankings, 5th in the world men's doubles rankings and ranked 2nd in Great Britain. Alfie won the 2016 doubles title at Wimbledon – his first Grand Slam title. A former world #1 junior and a multiple world junior masters champion (singles and doubles) he has also won national junior singles and doubles crowns. Said Alfie: “My aim is to be the best in the world.”

TEEN  SABRINA FORTUNE (19)

 MARIA LYLE (16)

Sabrina made her native Wales burst with pride when she became the first Welsh athlete to win a Paralympic medal at Rio 2016. She set an F20 shot put personal best of 12.94m to secure bronze. Sabrina, who has speech dyspraxia, was inspired to take up athletics after watching her brother compete and joined a local club at the age of 11. Sabrina, of Flintshire, said: “You can't picture something as amazing as this. I came here (Rio) for a personal best. I didn't think I'd get a medal as well. It was an absolute honour to run around that track with the GB flag flying behind me.”

Maria’s success at Rio 2016 has firmly established her as one of the hottest properties in para-athletics. Maria returned home to Dunbar after claiming silver in the women’s T35-38 4x100m, and a bronze in the T35 200m sprint.

Schoolgirl Maria, who has cerebral palsy, trains at Dunbar and Liverpool. She was aged just 14 when she made her first appearance in a British vest to win double gold at the IPC Athletics European Championships.

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TEEN TITANS

 KARE ADENEGAN (15)  ABBY KANE (13) Swimming sensation Abby was the youngest member of ParalympicsGB to compete in Rio 2016. Inspirational Abby won the silver medal in the 100m backstroke S13 event. Abby has Stargardt disease, a condition leading to progressive vision deterioration. Abby first took to the water at the age of seven after a family trip to Australia. On that holiday, the family visited water parks but Abby couldn’t participate. So, when she returned home to Largs, she took swimming lessons. Abby says she was inspired by her brother, Fraser.

TITANS

T34 wheelchair racer Kare carried her silver and two bronze medals in her schoolbag for a week after returning victorious from Rio. She was excluded from participating in sports at school ‘for health and safety reasons.’ While her friends enjoyed sports she was ‘allowed’ to keep the scores from the sidelines. Said Kare: “I didn’t think sports were for me because I had never seen anyone with cerebral palsy compete at a higher level.” Since launching her athletics career at a local club in Coventry, she has been on the radar of British Athletics for several years. At the age of just 14, she won double bronze at the 2015 IPC Athletics Championships, and beat her idol, Hannah Cockroft for the first time in her senior career.

 ALICE TAI (17)

 AMY MARREN (18)

Para-sport swimmer Alice competes in the SB9 and S10 classifications for swimmers with impaired muscle power. Alice, of New Milton, swam to victory in Rio, winning a gold medal as part of the para-swim 4x100m medley team. She also claimed bronze in the women’s S10 100m backstroke. Alice has represented Great Britain at both European and World Championships and has won medals in both individual and team events, including a gold medal at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships.

Amy, who first learned to swim when she was just four years old, darted her way to a coveted bronze medal at Rio in the 200m individual medley SM9 final. Amy, from Hornchurch, represented Great Britain for the first time at the 2011 German Swimming Championships in Berlin. At London 2012, she made her Games debut as one of the youngest athletes in ParalympicsGB. She recorded personal best times in each of her events and qualified for two Paralympic finals. The following year she impressed at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal, winning four world titles in addition to four gold and two silver medals.

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| 17 29/11/2016 12:09

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01/12/2016 15:53 26/09/2016 15:45

WINTER GAMES

SPECIAL OLYMPICS World Winter Games 2017 Graz, Austria 14-25 March 2017

W

ith Rio fast becoming a faded memory and this summer’s heroes begin to adjust back to normal life and start dreaming of Tokyo 2020, the general public also goes back to a world without constant sport streamed on our TVs, phones and computers.

Much has been discussed of the Paralympic legacy, but how do we keep the disability sport conversation alive during the four-year absence of one of our favourite competitions?

With another Games, of course!

We’ve now burst through the 100-day countdown mark until the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria in March, which more than helps us at OnTrack get through our post summer Paralympic blues.

The Games, held in Graz, will be the second time Austria has hosted the Special Olympics, with its first outing way back in 1993. The return will be a

welcome one as the hugely successful Games back then helped pave the way for a more inclusive Austria, with changes in both attitudes and policy.

The last Games were held in Winter Paralympic 2018-bound PyeongChang in South Korea, where Canada topped the medal table. And while the 21-strong team of GB athletes will be keen to topple the winter sports giants, all athletes compete by the same motto: ‘Let me win.

But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt’.

Austria has a long and happy history with the Special Olympics. Graz will be the second Austrian city host to the World Winter Games, winning the rights in October 2012 after Salzburg and Schladming hosted the first Games outwith the United States in 1993.

It is widely regarded that it would not even have happened if it wasn’t for Austrian Member of State Parliament and Schladming Mayor Hermann Kröll, who recognised the sporting and

humanitarian benefits of the Special Olympics.

In 1989, Kröll began to drum up support from politicians, broadcasters and even Arnold Schwarzenegger to bring the Games to Austria in 1993, nearly trebling the number of participating nations in doing so.

Following the success and growth of the Games in Austria, other countries began bidding to host, coining the nickname ‘The Father of the International Movement’ for Kröll, and the ‘Mother Country’ for Austria.

Since becoming Special Olympics Austria’s President, Kröll has been keen to bring the Games back to Austria, and this time will see it nearly double in size since its debut outside the US. If you fancy taking in the Games firsthand, all the events are free to watch.

Otherwise, keep an eye on OnTrack for more in-depth build up and coverage of the Games in the February/March issue. 

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WINTER GAMES

Who, what, where, when?

The Graz Games will see nine sports descend on the city from 14 -25 of March, with 3000 athletes competing, 21 from Team GB. Here’s what you need to know...

 THE OPENING CEREMONY The Games will officially begin with the Opening Ceremony in Graz’s Schladming Planai Stadium on 18 March.

 FIGURE SKATING Watch skaters glide across the ice, seamlessly partnering skating with dancing in the Merkur Ice Arena in Graz, from 17-23 March. 10 Team GB figure skaters will be competing Eloise Carruthers, Steph Gott, Jenny Lee, Meg McFarlane, Heather McNeil, Jonathan McSalley, Callum Mills, Courtney Montgomery, Calum Titmus and Graeme Watson.

 FLOORBALL Played either individually or in teams of four, floorball is played with a bat (similar to a hockey stick) and light ball. However, the goalkeeper doesn’t have a bat. Played at the Convention Centre in Graz, floorball takes place from 17-24 March.

 SNOWSHOEING Traversing across snow with snowshoes attached to the bottom of their feet, athletes will race across distances of 25m to 10,000m.

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Snowshoeing will take place from 17-24 March at Ramsau am Dachstein.

 SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING Speed skaters fly around the rink at jaw-dropping speeds utilising both power and control to project themselves forward at great speed, but maintain control to remain upright. You can catch that at Graz’s Merkur Ice Arena from 17-24 March.

 ALPINE SKIING Alpine skiing is a fast and furious sport, with skiers flying down scenic Alps at speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour. There are 11 Brits competing in alpine skiing in Austria including Lauren Cain, Tyler Charleston, David Corr, Anthony Coulon, Joanne Desmond, James Millard, Karen Oosthuizen, Rebecca Owen, Lauren Payne, Alex Scarborough and Owen Stephen. Watch that at Ramsau am Dachstein between 17-23 March.

 NORDIC SKIING Also known as cross-country skiing, nordic skiing offers a range of disciplines from 10metres to 10kilometres, and a relay event. This is contested at Ramsau am Dachstein

from 17-23 March.

 FLOOR HOCKEY Like ice hockey, players aim to put the puck in the back of the net, but instead of on ice, this group of games is played on a flat surface similar to a basketball court. Floor hockey is played at the Convention Centre in Graz between 17-24 March.

 STICK SHOOTING A game of skill, this team and individual sport makes its second appearance at the World Winter Games in the Convention Centre from 19-23 March.

 SNOWBOARDING With slalom (beginner), giant slalom (intermediate) and super-g (advanced) there are plenty of snowboarding events to choose from, and then slipping and sliding for those who cannot compete at those levels. See these events at Schladming-Rohrmoos from 17-23 March.

 CLOSING CEREMONY Closing the curtain on the festival of sport, the Closing Ceremony is at the Merkur Arena on 24 March.

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01/12/2016 10:40

GRAZ AT A GLANCE 9 SPORTS 12 DAYS 3000 ATHLETES 21 TEAM GB ATHLETES 110 NATIONS 3 LOCATIONS 4 VENUES 1100 MEMBERS OF COACHING STAFF 5000 FAMILY MEMBERS 1000 MEDIA REPS 1200 HONOURED GUESTS 800 CONGRESS PARTICIPANTS

WINTER GAMES

HEALTHY ATHLETES Beyond providing inclusive and accessible sports, health is an additional priority of the Special Olympics, so much so that they offer a service known as The Healthy Athletes Programme, which serves athletes in dire need by providing improved healthcare for millions.

Launched in 1997, by providing services and information to athletes with intellectual disabilities who would usually receive poor or no treatment at all, Healthy Athletes carry out more than 1.6million free examinations in more than 130 countries.

It is the world’s largest health organisation for people with intellectual disabilities, and with eight countries and six US states piloting Healthy Communities teaching healthy habits, they aim to have a stable presence in the lives of their athletes.

By working with more than

200 health organisations and universities, volunteer doctors, and training up more than 136,000 students and professionals, more and more doctors are reaching out to work with patients with an intellectual disability.

While coaches are there to help Special Olympics athletes understand their sport and train safely and effectively, Healthy Athletes ensure additional insights are available into how to live healthily and know when to seek help for problems that need medical assistance.

The Healthy Athletes Programme provide examinations across seven healthcare areas: Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNfitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (better health and wellbeing), Healthy Hearing (audiology), MedFest (sports physical exam), Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes (vision) and Special Smiles (dentistry).

HOST TOWN PROGRAMMES Another important element of the Special Olympics experience is the Host Town Programme.

From 14-16 March, international athletes will immerse themselves into Austrian life, divided amongst three host locations of Maria Lankowitz, and Stainz and Steinbäck, before partaking in various events including social evenings, riding in the Flascherlzug (Austria’s

narrow-gauge railway), guided tours of the Piber stud farm, workshops in Köflach youth centres, and coffee and cake in Graz’ Murpark.

While mixing with other athletes ahead of the Games, they will take in Austrian culture and hospitality to gain a greater experience from their time in Austria.

Find out more at www.austria2017.org or visit www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk.

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Image Š Manchester Evening News

AZEEM AMIR

TALENT Blind footballer Azeem tackles inclusion in sport

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AZEEM AMIR

T

alented teenage sensation Azeem Amir is emerging as one of the country’s hottest properties in the increasingly popular sport of blind football.

Ambitious Azeem (17), who has been blind since birth, is so good that he is playing for both Manchester and Merseyside Blind Football Clubs and is now trialling for England.

“If I had sight, I do not think I would have been as motivated to prove to society that those with disabilities can compete with able-bodied people and sometimes even outperform them. I don’t want my disability to overshadow my abilities.”

He is hopeful his considerable talent will lead to him becoming a national and international player and ultimately earn him a place on the GB squad for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

As well as his sporting prowess, A-Level student Azeem is in his second year of studying law, psychology and economics at Rochdale Sixth Form College. The star pupil hopes next year to secure a place to study sports management at Worcester University, which is renowned for producing top British athletes who reach elite international and Paralympic levels.

A genetic disorder meant that Azeem was born with no sight in his right eye and only slight light perception in his left. He was just days old when a cataract on his left eye was removed by surgeons in the hope of giving him some sight.

Azeem, who travels many miles to and from training sessions and five-a-side blind football matches all for the love of the game, was recently awarded funding from the Realising Dreams Foundation to help meet his travel costs.

“It was a really tough time for my parents, not knowing whether their first child would be able to see them. As a toddler, they said I used to do stuff like feel for a toy with my feet and use my feet to bring it to my hands. They say that made them really proud,” explained Azeem, who radiates pride and gratitude for his enormously supportive family – in particular, dad Bilal.

In addition to his footballing and study commitments, Azeem is a proud ambassador for Link4Life’s All4Sport initiative, which provides opportunities for children with disabilities to try various sports.

“My dad has had a big influence on making sure that I go for every opportunity I can and give it 100%. He has pushed me from a very young age to try out new things.”

One of those ‘new things’ came two years ago when Azeem attended a sporting talent event that introduced him to blind football. After putting in an impressive performance when he ‘had a go’, his details were passed to an amateur blind football club. He was soon to be noticed by talent scouts from a club in the league.

Now, his goal is to secure a place on the England Blind Football squad, with a dream of competing at Tokyo 2020.

“Having my visual impairment has given me a barrier to overcome, which other people maybe don’t have,” said Azeem, of Rochdale, Manchester.

With the aim of “getting them from the playground to the podium,” Azeem talent-tracks the youngsters and gives motivational talks to gatherings of up to 400 children in his quest to change perceptions about disability.

Azeem’s former PE teacher, Sam Hinchcliffe, was his guide when he crossed the finish line in the Great Manchester Run 2016.

On completion of the 10K, another of his PE teachers, Sam Dainty, offered to guide Azeem on his next chosen challenge.

Characteristically, gutsy Azeem opted for the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance – the brutal 12-mile Tough Mudder obstacle course.

Not only did Azeem nail it and raise £4500 for the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, he smashed a world record as the youngest blind person to complete the gruelling Tough Mudder.

Said Azeem: “It was, without doubt, my proudest achievement.”

8

facts about blind football 1. Blind Football is played with modified FIFA rules 2. A match consists of two 25-minute halves 3. Because the four out-players in internationally-recognised blind five-a-side football have varying levels of visual impairment, they are blindfolded to ensure fairness of play 4. Goalkeepers are sighted 5. The ball’s panels are fitted with noise-making ball bearings which shake as the ball moves 6. The five-a-side pitch is surrounded by hip-height perimeter boards to prevent the ball from bouncing off course 7. A side’s sighted guide stands off the field behind the opponent’s goal post to assist in directing players about how far the player is from the goals and when they should shoot and aim 8. Hearing and communication is key and the fact that the players talk during the match allows them to know who is and who is not on their team

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01/12/2016 10:45

O

n 15 November, a host of Paralympic gold medallists helped launch the Superhero Series, the UK’s only mass-participation sports series for everyday superheroes. Sophia Warner, Marc Woods, and Team Captains Sophie Christiansen, JJ Chalmers, Sophie Morgan, Anne Dickins and Megan Giglia attended the launch event at Beany Green in Paddington and called on the public to sign up and get involved in this unique event.

Leveraging the inspiration of the fantastic Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and the 64 gold medals won by ParalympicsGB, the Superhero Series aims to increase disability sport participation at all levels by removing restrictive rules and regulations imposed by massparticipation events. ď ľ

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02/12/2016 14:00

SUPERHEROES The Team Captains will be taking on one stage of the Celebrity Superhero Tri (150m swim, 3km bike, 1km push/ run) and are calling out to the nation (disabled and non-disabled) to complete their relay team. To enter the competition, simply head to www.superheroseries.co.uk and tell them in your own words why you should be picked for a Celebrity Superhero’s team and which stage of the triathlon you would like to do.

Big, bold and gutsy, the Superhero Series gives total beginners through to elite athletes the chance to find their inner superpower and achieve an inspirational goal. The debut event is on 19 August 2017 at Dorney Lake, Windsor.

Alongside the Celebrity Superhero Tri, the debut event will hold three triathlon challenges over three distances.

Participants don’t have to take on all three stages, opening up four popular sports.

people to share their superpower and get involved in the Superhero Series. I am really looking forward to reading all the stories and being part of a team of everyday superheroes.”

Superhero Series Ambassador, Eve Williams, is taking part in the Sidekick Tri with her family. Mum Jenni commented: “The Superhero Tri shows what is possible when given the opportunity and allows us to work towards and enjoy a great sporting challenge as a family. Eve is such an adventurous and determined little tornado and what a way to encourage and channel these amazing qualities.”

To find out more about the Superhero Series and to sign up visit www.superheroseries.co.uk.

Get regular updates on Twitter @superherotri The Superhero Series is only possible through the support of its sponsors Irwin Mitchell, Barclays, Ottobock, Quest88, Gatwick Airport and Daisy Green. n

Sophia Warner, Paralympian and founder of the Superhero Series, said: “I have been involved in disability sport for 25 years and am thrilled to be launching an event that unites people of all disabilities, and gives The Superhero the 1million people with disabilities who Tri shows what is regularly do sport possible when given the chance to come the opportunity and together, compete and allows us to work challenge themselves.”

Team Captain Sophie Christiansen said: “I cannot wait for

ways to take part

towards and enjoy a great sporting challenge as a family

1 2 3

Team up Do one stage each. Unite with family and friends (disabled and non-disabled) to share the work and the fun.

Grab a Sidekick A world first, this a unique chance for a sidekick (a Superhero helper) to tow a friend or loved one in the water and push or pull them around the bike or push/run stages.

Fly solo For those who want to take on all three triathlon stages. Everyone entering a solo event must consider themselves to have a disability. Details of an elite race will be announced Jan 2017.

Team Captains There will be 20 Team Captains in total, the first to be announced are: • Sophie Christiansen, OBE, eighttime Paralympic gold medallist, Paraequestrian (also a Superhero Series Ambassador) • JJ Chalmers, former Royal Marine and Channel 4 Rio 2016 Paralympics presenter • Sophie Morgan, TV presenter, artist and model, and part of Channel 4 Rio 2016 Paralympics presenting team • Anne Dickins, Paralympic gold medallist, paracanoeing • Megan Giglia, won Britain’s first gold medal in Rio 2016, in C1-3 3,000m cycling race • Kadeena Cox, Paralympic gold medallist in Rio 2016 in C4-5 cycling time trial and T38 400m sprint • David Henson, MBE, Rio 2016 bronze medallist in 200m sprint and inaugural Invictus Games team captain

Ambassadors With the Superhero Series prioritising the sporting interests of the everyday superhero, they are also proud to announce four ambassadors: • Sofia Crockett: 12-year-old Sofia lost her leg through Meningococcal disease at the age of two and regularly competes in sport, often with her family • Team Williams: Mum Jenni (swimming), Dad Steve (cycling) and ‘Tiny Tornado’ Eve, 4 years old (walking hand in hand with her Sidekick Mum for the final leg). Eve has a rare chromosome condition that causes global development delay and epilepsy • Stephan and Chloe Couture: father and daughter duo who have tackled many sporting events together and will be participating in the Sprint, Half and Full Sidekick triathlons at the Superhero Series • Sophie Christiansen: also a Team Captain. Demonstrating elite sportspeople also want the opportunity to come together and compete for fun.

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02/12/2016 14:01

RACERUNNING

SATISFYING THE NEED FOR SPEED The UK’s growing band of RaceRunning enthusiasts are adding their voice to calls for the sport to make its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

T

he relatively new international disability sport, which is enjoying heightened popularity, sees users travelling on a three-wheeled Petra bike with no pedals. Supported by a saddle and body frame, athletes propel by foot, and steer with their hands or arms as they walk or run.

By leaning on the chest support, this puts the body into a natural sprinting position.

It is ideal for people who have limited hand control meaning that they would struggle to propel a racing wheelchair.

RaceRunning allows people who use a wheelchair or are unable to walk unaided to move independently and at considerable speed.

An effective way of improving overall fitness, strength and wellbeing, most users are able to propel themselves considerably faster than when travelling unsupported.

Predominantly suitable for people who have cerebral palsy, running bikes are also used by those who have multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and other disabilities that affect mobility and balance.

The low centre of gravity and frame design allows for good stability and poise.

The saddle counteracts lateral sway and can also be used as a seat when resting. 

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29/11/2016 12:18

RACERUNNING

The custom-fitted tricycle running bike rolls so freely that even children as young as three, young people and adults who cannot functionally run and rely on sports aids for mobility and balance have a way of propelling themselves by their own efforts.

palsy, which affects speech, balance and coordination. A user of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), he was introduced to RaceRunning at the age of just five by his physiotherapist at charity Bobath Scotland.

Competing RaceRunning athletes run over distances similar to other track and road running disciplines: 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres, as well as 10 kilometres, and half and full marathons.

Inspired by his passion for the sport, Gavin’s parents, Margaret and Peter, went on to set up the ACE RaceRunning Club.

Set up by Ellie Simpson – founder of not-for-profit organisation CP Teens UK - the CP Teens UK RaceRunning Club is England’s first dedicated RaceRunning club.

Then aged 18, Ellie - who has quadriplegic athetoid cerebral palsy – put her gap year to good use in 2013 and founded the charity in a bid to tackle feelings of isolation and frustration experienced by young people who have a disability.

Now World #1 female RaceRunner 2 Class in the 200m and 400m events, Ellie discovered and fell in love with RaceRunning in July 2015, and the club she founded is now going from strength to strength.

In its first year of operation, the club achieved two gold medals and four silver at the World Cerebral Palsy Games. The club, which has also notched up eight national age group titles, went on to set up CP Tinies RaceRunning for children aged between two and eight. The Tinies club aims to offer a safe environment in which to experience independent movement.

Ellie and two other members of the CP Teens RaceRunning Club were among the five-strong England RaceRunning team who returned victorious from the European Championships in Copenhagen in July with eight gold medals, two silver and three bronze.

Fifteen-year-old CP Teens ambassador Gavin Drysdale, who is a five-time world record holder, brought no fewer than five gold medals home to Scotland from the European Championships.

Ayrshire’s Gavin has ataxic cerebral

Said an inspirational Gavin: “I love the sense of freedom that RaceRunning gives me. My biggest achievement to date was winning four golds and breaking four world records at the 2014 IWAS World Games.

“Living with cerebral palsy can be difficult. I’m not going to deny that, but there is always a solution to every problem. Sometimes, you’ve got to find the best way for you to do things.

It won’t happen instantly, but you’ll get there eventually - don’t give up!”

As well as following a rigorous training programme, Gavin has travelled hundreds of miles up and down the country over the years, encouraging other children at RaceRunning Come and Try events. His efforts to promote the elite sport contributed to Gavin being crowned Young Scot of the Year in the sports category of the awards scheme in 2012.

He names his role models as wheelchair racers Hannah Cockroft and David Weir and world sprint champion Richard Whitehead.

“They are constantly pushing equality, boundaries and changing perceptions,” said Gavin, whose ambition is to see his chosen sport recognised at the Paralympic Games.

Scotland’s second RaceRunning course for coaches was held recently at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow.

Coaches from the ACE RaceRunning Club were among participants.

Inclusive sports specialist Quest 88 retails Petra running bikes. Prices start at £1235, excluding VAT. n www.cpteensuk.org www.rrscotland.org www.cpsport.org www.quest88.com

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02/12/2016 14:11

OTTOBOCK

The Unsung

A

Heroes

s an athlete, the pinnacle of your career would be to compete at the Paralympic Games.

The honour of donning your country’s kit and making it to that start line after years of dedication and training.

The early mornings at the training centre, the gruelling all-weather sessions, the strict diet, the sacrifices made, the time away from family. It all comes down to that one moment to shine, to be at the top of your game, in your peak physical condition and to unleash the years of preparation on the world and do your country proud.

However, as a Paralympian, there is an extra dimension to consider when preparing for competitive events. Not only do athletes need to be in the best condition of their lives, but their equipment, prosthetics and other assistive devices also have to be in tip top condition. So, what would happen if things didn’t go to plan and your running

blade snapped the night before your final or your wheelchair needed a new tyre in the middle of a competitive match – how would you be able to carry on and compete?

Enter Ottobock.

Ottobock have been providing technical repairs at the Paralympic Games since 1988 and the extent of this invaluable work has evolved exponentially over the years to support the athletes with an incredible and vital service. A service that comprises the components and expertise to repair almost any piece of equipment, prosthetic, orthotic or assistive device to enable an athlete to do the job they came to do.

Ottobock commented: “The efforts and achievements of the Paralympians have and will continue to transform lives by inspiring people to take up a sport and enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

This is one of the many reasons Ottobock has a passion for Paralympics and has

been supporting people with disabilities participate in sports and recreation for more than three decades. Ottobock is the longest serving partner to the Paralympic Games, starting at the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games, where four orthopaedic technician’s from Ottobock Australia set up a small pavilion to provide their services.

“Over the years the team has grown to over 100 technicians from 29 countries.

Ottobock’s expertise combined with a wealth of knowledge passed on from Games to Games provides Paralympians with the confidence that their technical needs – regardless of the brand of prosthetic, orthotic or wheelchair they use – will be understood and expertly repaired. We take care of the technology so that they can focus fully on performance and competition.”

We spoke to two of Ottobock’s technicians who were part of the team in Rio to find out about their experiences. 

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OTTOBOCK

Rachel Nielson Rachel is an Academy Clinician, she works in the UK supporting clinics and clinicians with training, education and support. She has attended three Paralympic Games as a technician; London 2012, the Winter Paralympic Games Sochi 2014 and most recently, Rio 2016.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SET UP? We have our main workshop which is based in the Paralympic Village, that’s the biggest centre we have and that is where the bulk of the work gets done.

We have everything there, a large storage area where the logistics guys have got all sorts of components and materials for us to use. We have ovens for draping plastics, areas for laminating, machines and workbenches with all sorts of tools depending on what we need.

In Rio, because the competition venues were quite spread out across the city we had smaller workshops in almost all of the other competition venues.

HOW DO YOU TACKLE REPAIRS ON DIFFERENT BRANDS/PRODUCTS THAT YOU HAVE NOT COME ACROSS BEFORE? That can be a bit tricky, because you have got people coming from every country. Sometimes they come in with brands that you have never come across before, sometimes it is bespoke things that people have made, particularly from developing countries that do not have access to many things, sometimes they just make whatever they need out of what they have. You have to get your thinking cap on, it’s a lot of problem solving, so it’s a case of this is what we have got, this is what we need to replace or repair – can we use what we have got and change it somehow or do we have to make

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something from scratch? Quite often the answer might be that our welders need to do something custom for somebody to repair that particular problem.

IF YOU CAN’T FIX SOMETHING, CAN YOU LEND A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO ALLOW AN ATHLETE TO COMPETE? We have to be reasonably strict, otherwise people would turn up for all sorts of things. But our aim is to get somebody doing whatever it is they need to do and there have been occasions where things are beyond our capability to repair and you are literally replacing things.

Wherever possible, if we can fix what they have got to a standard that will get them to do what they need to do, whether it be in everyday life or competition, then that is what we will do.

CAN THE TIME RESTRAINTS BE STRESSFUL? I have had athletes come off court who have been given two minutes by the referee to change a tyre because it has burst! So sometimes it can be. Our workshop is open from about 7.30am - 11pm so it’s not always the same team that are there, but there is always somebody there, and if we can’t finish a job then it gets handed on to the next shift who can carry that on until it is done and we will get stuff done as quickly as we can to get people back on track.

DO YOU FEEL A BIT OF PRIDE

WHEN YOU HAVE FIXED AN ATHLETE’S EQUIPMENT AND THEY GO ON TO WIN A MEDAL? Oh definitely! In Rio, there was an athlete, Andy Lewis. I hadn’t fixed anything for him while we were there but I had had dealings setting him up before the Games and he won gold in the first ever Paratriathlon, so I was quite pleased with that. It was really nice to see him make his dreams come true.

In London as well, we had a guy from Norway who had broken his running blade before his final and myself and a couple of colleagues had to fix it. He was really edgy about this and was saying he was really in with the chance of a medal, so the pressure was on. But we made a bit of a bargain with him, and said we would do our best to get you doing your best, but if you win a medal you have to come back and show us and bring us your team t-shirt. I had had to go home before the end of the Games but when I got back to work I found a package on my desk with a signed t-shirt from him, he had won bronze. So he was chuffed, he had done what he needed to do and got the result he wanted. That’s what really makes it I think, because otherwise he would just have been out and that would have been the end of it.

These athletes have spent such a long time training for this for one little thing to potentially let them down - so to be able to do something about that is really good.

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29/11/2016 12:20

Barry Myers Barry is a prosthetist and orthotist who has worked with Ottobock since 2002, he attended Rio 2016 to work in the technical repair centre for the first time.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SET UP AND THE WORK YOU WERE DOING?

HOW MUCH PRESSURE DO YOU FEEL IN THOSE SITUATIONS?

They put us up in a hotel opposite the Olympic Park and we were given an itinerary where some of the times we were working in the actual venues or in the main repair centre which was set up in the Paralympic Village. And the athletes who needed any repairs had access to a 24-hour emergency service if required.

I must admit I was a little apprehensive going out there as I have not really had that much training on wheelchairs and a lot of the work we were doing was wheelchair based. The first job I got was a job that had been started the night before and it was just a wheelchair that was in a million different pieces.

You had to figure out how it all went back together, how the wheels went back, where the axels went and all the castors, but we got there with some help from a few of the other people and put everything together.

DID YOU COME ACROSS ANY REALLY TRICKY PROBLEMS? Some of the work undertaken by the technicians was phenomenal. You have got some of the best technicians in the world who have come from across the globe. They had every base covered from welders to the wheelchair section and the orthotic and prosthetic side, everything was covered. There were a few really hard things that I certainly hadn’t come across in my time working in Brighton. We had an archery athlete who had a hydraulic wheelchair that could manoeuvre up and down to achieve the required height for her to shoot the arrow – the pin that moved the chair up and down had sheared off, so with the combination of several technicians and an absolutely fantastic welder, we managed to get her ready for the competition. If they couldn’t get her to the required height then she wouldn’t be allowed to compete in the event. It wasn’t 100% ideal for what she wanted but it got her through the competition.

ONCE YOU HAVE FIXED AN ATHLETE’S EQUIPMENT AND ENABLED THEM TO COMPETE, HOW DO YOU FEEL? Oh crikey, with the achievements they are doing, you just want to be a part of it and help them achieve their dreams and hopefully Ottobock as a company achieved that. I think there were over 4200 repairs undertaken during the Games.

The best for me was working at the Tennis Centre, where a Spanish technician and I had to rush onto the court where the doubles semi-final was taking place between the Isrealis and the British and the two Isrealis had collided with each other and one had damaged his wheel, so we had to do a wheel change. They

weren’t allowed to bring the wheelchair into the workshop area that we were working in – we had to do the change physically in front of 1000 people on court, which we managed to achieve, got a round of applause and off we went. n

Ottobock’s Luggage Allowance Below is a breakdown of the equipment that Ottobock shipped out to Rio this year to deal with the repairs in their service centre…

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70

tonnes of equipment

running blades

15,000 spare parts

1100 wheelchair tyres

300 250 prosthetic feet

items of hazardous goods & dangerous chemicals

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| 31 01/12/2016 11:04

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magazine.co.uk

01/12/2016 11:21

SMART TECH  PEBBLE SMARTWATCH Pebble SmartWatch is about making your life easier with a great deal of smart technology. With Pebble Timeline you can add a daily calendar to your wrist and of course, events, notifications, missed calls — all the moments that matter in one easy-to-find place.

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Easy-to-use, Pebble watches work with iOS and Android Smart Phones. Pebble Steel connects wirelessly via Bluetooth with iOS and Android devices. Pebble Steel works best with iPhone – 4s, 5, 5c, 5s and up, iOS6, iOS7 and iOS8 – or Android devices

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Available in a selection of saddle sizes and styles to suit all riders, there is a SMART™ saddle for everyone. Solution Saddles offer home consultations, try-before-

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meaning people with physical disabilities can utilise it for workouts. The XFIT Core Wonder Workout Machine is compact and lightweight, easily folding up into a low profile so that it can be stored under the bed or in a wardrobe. It’s perfect for any size and age or any fitness. There is no assembly required, when you receive it you can get started straight away.

The XFIT Core Wonder Workout Machine provides assisted movement for a number of exercises including scissor kicks, bridges, sit-ups and push-ups

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01/12/2016 11:21

I love being part of a company that does the right thing for people.

As a senior IT professional who has worked with GSK for some years, Colin has seen the culture and support available to hearing impaired employees change over time.

“I’ve always worked in IT – I began my career in operations and programming and now I work in Risk Management. It’s a very diverse role with a lot of projects to juggle.

ad_pages_ontrack_dec_jan_17.indd 7 329556_GSK_Disbility Heroes 210x297-PossAbility 10mm bleed V2-Print.indd 2

Colin IT Governance Risk and Compliance Director UK

I had a cochlear implant fitted earlier this year, and I’m still adapting to that. GSK has been very supportive in giving me time to adjust properly.”

Read Colin’s story in full, and explore opportunities within our technology team, and throughout the organisation here: http://uk.gsk.com/en-gb/careers/meet-our-people/

02/12/2016 28/11/2016 14:12 16:26

BLIND SPORTS

SMALL CHANGES,

DIFFERENCE A new report by leading national charities, Women in Sport and British Blind Sport, has highlighted a need for sports providers to improve their activity offerings for blind and partially-sighted women.

‘S

mall Changes, Big Difference’ is the first report of its kind to explore how sport and physical activity affect the lives of visually-impaired women. It looks in depth at their motivations and barriers to becoming more active, and the specific challenges visually-impaired women can face when accessing sporting opportunities.

Sport England’s Active People Survey 2016 confirms that 1.6million fewer women than men currently take part in sport or physical activity once a week.

This gender participation gap is also true for visually-impaired women. Only 9.3% of women with a visual impairment are active once a week for 30 minutes or more, compared to 11.7% of visuallyimpaired men.

Women in Sport and British Blind Sport are keen to use this new insight and work in partnership with providers to help increase participation of visually-impaired women in sport and physical activity.

The report sets out recommendations for providers about how they can better engage with visually-impaired women

and encourage them to be more active.

It found that by making small changes to their service offerings, providers can make a big difference to the lives of visuallyimpaired women.

valuable research, which will enable us to assist a wide range of partners including national governing bodies of sport to make small changes that will make a big difference to the lives of women.”

All designed to enable more visuallyimpaired women to enjoy the benefits of being active, the recommendations include signposting sources of information in innovative ways, making small changes to existing processes and offerings and engaging in conversation about women’s capabilities and potential risks of being involved in sport.

Ruth Holdaway, chief executive of Women in Sport added: “Through this new research we have learnt about the important similarities and differences in the barriers and motivators affecting visually-impaired women when it comes to playing sport and being physically active.

The report highlights the need for a good induction programme or tour of sports facilities to provide a positive first experience and empower women to come back.

It also suggests providers should get to know their customers as individuals with different circumstances and lifestyles.

Talking about the importance of this research, Alaina MacGregor, Chief Executive of British Blind Sport said: “British Blind Sport is delighted to have partnered with Women in Sport on this

“In many cases, we have learnt that small changes can make a big difference, so we hope that sport providers will now start making some of these small changes to have a big and positive impact for visually-impaired women.”

Small Changes, Big Difference recommends easy to implement, insightled changes for activity providers. These small changes can have a profound and positive impact on the lives of visuallyimpaired women, empowering them to be more active and enjoy the benefits of sport.

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01/12/2016 11:27

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

AT ONE WITH THE GREAT OUTDOORS Super-fit Jeremy Randall was an enthusiastic competitive athlete who lived to pound the track, roads and countryside over various distances at every opportunity.

T

hen, at the age of 40, the passionate Reading Athletics Club member was dealt the devastating blow that he had developed an inflammatory arthritic condition together with a degenerative spinal disease. The active life he loved was to change drastically.

Then, just over a year ago, and quite by chance, things changed.”

Over time, he began to depend increasingly on other people to carry out everyday tasks. Eventually he needed a walking frame, then a mobility scooter, and more recently, a wheelchair.

“Reading this article and my subsequent meeting with Roger Crawford from Mountain Trike turned my life around,” said Jeremy.

“Initially, not being able to go out running in the fresh air and countryside anymore and the freedom that gave me was a big blow,” confessed Jeremy, now 65.

“But I quickly became aware that I was very lucky to have been able to do so in the first place and for so many years.

Using my mobility scooter was fine, but not really what I was looking for. I wanted something that would keep me active, that I could use under my own steam and also go off-road. The search was long and hard and over this period, I trialled a number of wheelchairs, including off-road models, without success.

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While flicking through a magazine, Jeremy came across an article about a disabled man who had just scaled Kilimanjaro with a team of helpers in a recently developed all-terrain wheelchair, named a Mountain Trike.

“I initially contacted Mountain Trike to ask if they would be prepared to travel to Reading, not an insignificant journey, to demonstrate the wheelchair and give me a chance to try it out. Mountain Trike agreed, without hesitation and without strings attached.”

Jeremy decided to hire a Mountain Trike for a few days to be satisfied that it was right for him.

“From that point onwards, it was a ‘no brainer’ - and I placed an order straight away. The company adapted the Mountain Trike specifications to meet my needs and fitted an extendable foot plate and increased the height of the back rest.

“They also provided regular updates as to the progress of the build and, once completed, they sent me a photograph of the finished Trike. I also opted for the ‘multi rack’ which comes with a detachable push handle, which I can use later in life or if my medical condition deteriorates.”

Continued Jeremy: “I’ve achieved so much with my Mountain Trike since I took delivery of it just over a year ago. Initially, so as not to overdo it and risk a flare up, I decided to take things very cautiously by gradually building up the time I spent using my trike each day. I considered the best way to achieve this was to set myself a training schedule.

“The time spent pushing soon built up until eventually I could go out on my Mountain Trike independently for a couple of hours and push over any terrain. I then built into the schedule hill repetitions and it’s brilliant to be able to do this in my local woods and surrounding lanes. I haven’t felt healthier or fitter for many years.”

Jeremy says his Mountain Trike is fantastic to use socially, when going out with

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29/11/2016 12:39

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

My Mountain Trike has allowed me, for the first time in a long time, to plan for the future and I’m now hoping to raise funds for a national charity...

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE There are other outdoor pursuits that people of all ages who have mobility issues and other disabilities can enjoy together with their family and friends.

T family and friends, or popping to the shops. Because it is lightweight, his wife can load the trike into the boot of their car. And it travels with them on their holidays to Cyprus.

“My Mountain Trike has allowed me, for the first time in a long time, to plan for the future and I’m now hoping to raise funds for national charity, The Back Up Trust, which helps people of all ages and backgrounds rebuild their confidence and independence after a spinal cord injury,” explained Jeremy.

His bold objectives over the next year include competing in 10km road races and half marathon events. He even plans to conquer Mount Snowdon.

“But most of all,” added Jeremy, “I’m looking forward to enjoying myself and getting out and about in my Mountain Trike All Terrain Wheelchair and living life to the full.”

ime spent with family is worth every second.

Adventure centres up and down the country run family courses, which is a wonderful way for families with a disabled member to spend quality time together whilst catering for everyone’s needs.

It’s also a fun way to meet new friends and socialise. As part of these courses, all the family get the chance to participate in a wide range of outdoor activities which may include, climbing, archery, canoeing, abseiling, orienteering, zip wire, tube slide, arts and crafts and more.

Canoeing and kayaking are activities with an emphasis on ability and attitude, and people at all skill levels, with and without disabilities, can find enjoyment in messing about on the water. All that paddlers need is the willingness to accept instruction and be challenged to adapt to new situations.

The Mountain Trike has given back to Jeremy a key to freedom and independence, and the opportunity to again enjoy the great outdoors with his family.

Water is a great equaliser, which means that having a disability doesn’t mean you can’t take part in sports like surfing together as a family. Some of the world’s greatest surfers have disabilities – people like Bethany Hamilton who lost an arm in a shark attack, or Clay Marzo who has Asperger Syndrome.

www.mountaintrike.com

Another popular outdoor family

activity is trail orienteering. Unlike conventional orienteering, which combines fast running with precise navigation, typically through forests or over moorland, trail orienteering is a discipline of the sport that was designed so that people with disabilities can take part in meaningful orienteering competitions.

It eliminates the element of speed over the ground, but makes the mapinterpretation element much harder.

Able-bodied people can compete on equal terms with people who have a disability.

Enjoying the great outdoors together needn’t involve taking part in an organised event.

Last year, more than 1200 disabled people and their carers and families learned to cycle with Wheels for Wellbeing – an award-winning charity supporting disabled people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefits of cycling.

Pedal power can be easier than walking, a way to keep independent, fit and healthy, a mobility aid, and a useful form of everyday transport.

Inclusive cycling means everyone can cycle regardless of age, health condition or ability. It’s time to saddle up and get on your bike!

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01/12/2016 11:33

HAVE YOU TRIED...

Have you tried…

ICE SKATING

A

s Christmastime rolls in and the festive season falls upon us, our towns and cities are transformed into huge winter wonderlands or small yuletide grottos. It takes over our radios and televisions and there are more mince pies than you can shake a jingle stick at.

It also comes with a variety of fun (or dreaded) merry activities – including heading out to your local temporary outdoor ice rink.

But stepping onto the ice can be a daunting task for most of us. Balancing on blades as you wobble and stumble your way onto a slippery surface isn’t the easiest task in the world and the worry of falling and the embarrassment that shortly follows can be enough to turn someone into a Scrooge or instead send them away towards the cosier option of a nice cup of mulled wine.

But fear shouldn’t put you off pulling on a pair of skates and getting into the spirit of things, especially if what is putting you off is the fact that you have a disability.

caught up with head coach, Gail Howard, to hear about what they have to offer.

“I think a lot of disabled people see ice skating as something that can only be done by people who already have great balance and coordination. When you attend a public skating session you’re not allocated a coach and often have to find your own way of staying on your feet, so I think there are lots of barriers to disabled people taking part in ice skating,” she said.

But that is something that Gail and the rest of the team at Inspire Peterborough are working to change, offering a number of ways for disabled people to get on the ice, including skating, ice sledge hockey and figure skating, welcoming skaters with autism, cerebral palsy and wheelchair users amongst other disabilities.

“People can come onto the ice on a sledge, in their wheelchair, in hire skates or their own skates, in double bladed bob skates or in their shoes with grippers over the top, and we utilise penguin and polar bear skate aids, provided by Planet Ice, so there really is an option for everyone.

Up and down the country, ice rinks are looking at making gliding across the ice more inclusive and accessible than ever and with Christmas looming, it is the perfect time to give the winter sport you can do all year long a go.

“We are constantly fundraising to try and fund an ice chair which can be used by wheelchair users so they can experience the feeling of gliding over the ice.”

Inspire Peterborough is one of the UK’s biggest advocates of inclusive skating, providing services for a range of needs. We

“When speaking to people who aren’t sure of giving ice skating a try I usually ask if they’d feel more confident if they

But what would Gail say to someone who was still apprehensive?

could try it with their families, as the sessions are essentially aimed at bringing families together to try something new and improve their fitness, balance and coordination.

“I also always offer the option of walking on the ice in their shoes with grippers on first, as going straight into skates without knowing what the ice will feel like under them can be very scary the first time.

There are usually five coaches at the sessions we run and every single one of us will encourage new people to get onto the ice, asking them just to give it their best shot and give it a try. Often we will buddy skaters up, so a more experienced skater will provide peer support for a less experienced skater.

“We have some fantastic skaters with great stories, all of whom have been scared of something, whether that be getting onto the ice in the first place, learning to skate backwards, or learning another more complicated element, but they have all overcome these thoughts and tried their best.”

GIVE IT A GO Think this could be the sport for you? There are plenty of locations around the country that can help you get involved, visit www. inspirepeterborough.com for more information from Gail and the team or check out www.inclusiveskating.org for information on competitions.

People can come onto the ice on a sledge, in their wheelchair, in hire skates or their own skates, in double bladed bob skates or in their shoes with grippers over the top...

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magazine.co.uk

01/12/2016 11:36

ICE SKATING BY FIGURES

8

The figure of eight that skaters have to outline lends itself to the name of the sport, figure skating.

50 -4º 250900

There are over 50 ice rinks in the UK – why not get involved at your local centre?

The average temperature of the ice surface at a skating rink.

The number of calories burned per hour skating. (450 - 1080kcal ph for professionals).

¾ - 1½ 37mph 342 The thickness of an average synthetic ice rink in inches.

Speed skaters can reach speeds of up to 37 miles per hour (48kmph).

The fastest spin on skates was recorded

by Canadian, Olivia Oliver, who set the Guinness World Record in Warsaw with a head-spinning speed of 342 rotations per minute.

HAVE YOU TRIED...

CASE STUDY

Amy Lee Harris One of Inspire’s skating success stories is Amy Lee Harris.

The youngster with ASD and sensory issues around her feet, initially had difficulties with the hired skates and her confidence, but soon found her feet, both on and off the ice, transforming into a confident skater and person, even joining her first school club, taking up netball.

Here, Amy’s mum Lisa explains just what the ice did for her daughter.

“When Amy and I first started going ice skating with Inspire, Amy had to use one of the penguins and stay right at my side as she had no confidence whatsoever on the ice or off the ice. With the help of Inspire she started to learn to skate without feeling judged because she has autism, she could do it at her pace,” began Lisa.

“As her confidence grew she went away from my side and without the penguin.

“She loved going every week, but away from ice skating she started going to musical theatre classes too.

She auditioned for a show and got the part and loved it, before going on to do three more with two coming up!

“She has passed grade one and two ice skating and won silver in a competition, and her confidence has come on loads. Because of skating, Amy feels that she can do things that she didn’t think she could do, has made lots of new friends and can be herself!”

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01/12/2016 11:39

28th, 29th & 30th MARCH 2017 NEC, BIRMINGHAM

WELCOME TO THE NEW

INNOVATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF INDEPENDENT LIVING Over 250 Innovative Suppliers 150 Expert-Led Seminars Packed Into a New Conference 12,000 Visitors Across the 3 Days Interactive Live Demos and Hands-On Areas A Dedicated OT & Professional Zone The Most Comprehensive Event of it’s Kind

IT’S BACK AND BIGGER THAN EVER!

REGISTER FOR FREE TICKETS WWW.NAIDEX.CO.UK @NaidexShows

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for sponsorship & exhibiting equiries contact the team at 0117 930 4927

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01/12/2016 16:01

NAIDEX 2017

SPORT FOCUS FOR NAIDEX 2017 The all-new Naidex returns to the NEC Birmingham from 28 – 30 March 2017 and will be packed with the most diverse range of education, interactivity and innovation ever seen in the brand’s history.

D

isability sports have an enormous array of benefits, both physical and mental, for those who take part. Every person, no matter their ability or skill should have the right to participate in a sport, from the recreational to the elite. Being active and getting involved in a sport brings a wide range of benefits from the obvious health and fitness advantages to the positive effect that being involved in a sport has on mental health, attitude and lifestyle.

Those who think the number of sports available for those with a disability are limited should think again. From wheelchair basketball, to blind football and one-handed archery to swimming, the list is endless. Naidex 2017 aims to showcase some of the very best and most diverse disability sports, from the ‘just for fun’ to the Paralympics. In addition, we are delighted to announce Naidex’s new partnership with the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) as well as The Wheelchair Football Association,

British Wheelchair Basketball, Disability Snowsport UK and our media partnership with OnTrack Magazine itself.

The EFDS works to support disabled people to find opportunities to get active as well as working alongside organisations that provide or work with disability sports. Their own research shows one in five people in England have an impairment - this is roughly 9.4million disabled people, and with seven out of 10 disabled people wanting to become more active their work is invaluable. They will be at Naidex helping to drive the live demos and interactive features across the three days in the focused sport demo arena.

One of the main obstacles for disabled people looking to become more active often isn’t their disability, but instead a psychological block. Thinking ‘I can’t’, or ‘I won’t be able to’ or ‘I’m limited’ prevents a lot of people from getting involved. However, these barriers are

slowly being broken down, with general awareness growing of just how limitless someone’s own potential can be, no matter the disability. This has been helped exponentially by the success of the Paralympic Games over the last eight years, no less the phenomenal results in Rio earlier in 2016. Watching heroes take to the global stage has inspired a legion of people across the country to think beyond their disability and embrace the positive benefits a healthy lifestyle has.

Naidex 2017 fully aims to embrace, support and grow this ethos – celebrating people’s strengths and encouraging engagement and participation no matter the level. With a fully interactive sport demo arena and excitement already building among attendees, exhibitors and participants alike, this Naidex feature is looking to be a firm favourite at the show.

GET ACTIVE, GET INVOLVED! To find out more please visit www.naidex.co.uk.

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HORSE RIDING

Getting Back in the Saddle A

nationwide project to provide more opportunities for disabled people to take up horse riding has now reached 37 riding establishments up and down the country.

independence and freedom.

Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), in partnership with Hoof, the British Equestrian Federation’s (BEF) participation programme launched the revolutionary Accessibility Mark scheme in 2015, with a pilot project.

A natural stimulator of the hormone serotonin, riding leads to a feeling of wellbeing during and after exercise, and is a highly social, fun and mentally stimulating activity.

Accessibility Mark status is awarded to a riding centre that has been approved by RDA following training and assessment. The close link with the RDA means that they offer continuous support to the centre to ensure they provide a first class experience.

Horse riding is an inclusive sport with many benefits to those with physical and learning disabilities, as well as people living with mental health needs.

For those with limited mobility, riding can bring a sense of

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It is an excellent way to exercise and get fit, strengthening all your core body muscles, and providing a relaxing cardiovascular workout as well as being a mood enhancer.

Attending an Accessibility Mark centre can offer people the chance to learn a new skill under the watchful eye of staff who have passed a high standard of assessment set out by the RDA, in centres with excellent facilities.

RDA Chief Executive Ed Bracher said: “We’re really excited to be running this project to bring the fun and benefits of riding to more people. We believe more people should be getting active and it is great news that more riding schools are recognising what a great activity this is for disabled people”.

Many Accessibility Mark centres

work closely with RDA centres to offer a more wide ranging service with one often recommending clients to the other to ensure the requirements of the individual are fulfilled.

As Accessibility Mark is aimed at commercial riding centres that must be approved by the British Horse Society, the Association of British Riding Schools or The Pony Club, the scheme opens up new avenues for riders who began learning to ride at an RDA centre to take their riding to the next level.

The popularity of Para-Dressage has been growing as a sport steadily for the last 25 years and ranges from grassroots to Paralympic level, demonstrating the level of skill that can be achieved and providing a competitive arena.

Both disabled and nondisabled riders share common characteristics; their enthusiasm, dedication and love of the sport, together with the amazing bond and relationship that is formed between the rider and their horse.

magazine.co.uk

01/12/2016 11:47

HORSE RIDING

CASE STUDY

JENNY LITSTON Jenny Litston has lived and breathed horses from the age of three when she first started riding and went on to fulfil her dream of becoming a jockey, with the pinnacle of her career seeing her crowned Champion Lady Jockey.

At the height of her success Jenny won a Hunter Chase at Cheltenham before a terrible accident at Larkhill Racecourse, where her stirrup broke.

Jenny from Wookey near Wells, was in a coma for three months and the resulting brain damage caused severe disability down her right side and she was faced with a long road of rehabilitation to regain some balance and learn to walk and talk.

As riding was a big part of Jenny’s life, it was inevitable that this would form part of her rehabilitation and she was determined not to let it stop her from continuing her passion for horses.

Jenny began attending Burcott RDA centre, Somerset very early in her rehabilitation, gradually gaining strength over many years, progressing from needing three helpers to riding independently.

Having ridden to a high standard prior to her accident, Jenny was keen to advance her skills to try and recapture some of her old self.

At this point Jenny moved to Divoky Riding School in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Run by Pat Bishop, Divoky Riding Centre is an Accessibility Mark accredited centre.

Setting new goals, Jenny’s desire to compete was once again ignited and, with encouragement from the team at Divoky, she was determined to do well and hopefully win.

Inspired by champion jockey Tony McCoy and his never say die attitude, Jenny headed to nearby Kingfisher Equestrian with her trusty steed Brandy to compete in her first ever dressage competition.

“After the thrill of racing, dressage seemed a bit boring; however it was the only way I could see myself compete again,” said Jenny.

With the help of Pat Bishop, who was on hand to read the test, Jenny was delighted to secure second place with 65%.

Jenny would encourage others in a similar position to seek out an Accessibility Mark accredited centre: “My advice to anyone who would like to take up riding or who thought it wouldn’t be possible is to carry on, have a go and enjoy it.”

To find your nearest RDA Group or Accessibility Mark centre visit www.rda.org.uk.

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01/12/2016 11:48

HEINRICH POPOW

THE POWER OF

POPOW

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magazine.co.uk

29/11/2016 12:44

HEINRICH POPOW

W

hen a nine-year-old Heinrich Popow woke up in a Bonn hospital bed without his right leg, his immediate lament was not for the life-changing loss of a limb. It was the fact that he wouldn’t be able to play his beloved football with his friends.

As a schoolboy, he was diagnosed with rare bone cancer Ewing’s sarcoma by a doctor who told his devastated parents that only one in every three children who have the disease survives – and, the medic predicted, Heinrich wouldn’t be one of them.

While such a blunt, harshly-dealt prognosis would have been enough to make a less determined child lie down to the cancer and accept their fate, a gritty Heinrich drew strength from it.

The doctor had been right about one thing. The other two children Heinrich knew with Ewing’s sarcoma lost their battle and died. And the way Heinrich looks at it now, the doctor’s flippant dismissal of his own chances of survival actually saved his life.

So too did a surprise encounter with a stranger while in hospital awaiting the amputation. The unexpected visitor promised him that soon he would be able to return to sports, if he “just went a step further than the rest.” The stranger then revealed his own prosthetic leg, and introduced himself as Arno Becker, Paralympic cyclist and 1990 German individual time trial champion.

Even in the face of adversity, the unfaltering, dogged persistence and positivity displayed by Heinrich at such a young age was a hint of the aweinspiring direction his adult life was to take as a world record holder and a World Paralympic Games gold medallist, as well as working alongside the engineering team at Ottobock - a world-leading manufacturer of prosthetic limbs, orthotic supports and wheelchairs.

Today, aged 33, Heinrich is clear: “I do sports not in spite of, but because of my disability. Thanks to sports, I don’t feel disabled.”

athletes, introducing them to a range of sports and providing the benefits of learning from an athlete at the top of his sport.

Heinrich’s Paralympic debut was at the Athens 2004 Games, and ever since he has worked alongside the team at Ottobock collaborating on the design and development of a range of prosthetic legs, opening up the opportunity to run and play sports to all amputees, not just professional athletes.

He defended his Paralympic title at the Rio 2016 Games, while continuing training as an orthopaedic technician.

He is also committed to making time to continue Ottobock Running Clinics and Talent Camps, as well as accepting invitations to talk at schools and visit young people waiting for amputations.

The same year, he went a step further by beginning his training as an orthopaedic technician.

Talking to them about their future, in the same way Arno Becker encouraged him, means a lot to Heinrich and he always leaves them with an invitation to visit him at his training base in Leverkusen.

At London 2012, he became the T42 100m Paralympic champion. In a thrilling contest at the Paralympic Games, he snatched the gold medal ahead of Scott Reardon in the final metres of the race.

These friendly rivals went on to make history at the 2013 World Athletics Championships when they both crossed the line in exactly 12:68 seconds and were jointly awarded the gold medal and World Champion title.

When he is not training or competing, Heinrich is passionate about opening the door to sport for more people. “Giving up is not an option,” is his response to the obstacles and lack of support that many people with disabilities face when trying to get involved in sport.

He is making this a reality with Ottobock Running Clinics, which take place around the world, teaching beginners who never dreamed they would be able to participate in sports to get up and running during a unique three-day programme.

Heinrich is also helping to nurture the next generation of Paralympians. In 2015, Ottobock - in partnership with the German Paralympic Committee (Deutscher Behindertensportverband) - hosted their first Talent Camp where Heinrich worked with aspiring young

“I teach them to have confidence on their prosthesis when they walk. It isn’t about athletic training, but it is the first step,” he said.

Ottobock supports athletes and teams from all over the world competing in a wide variety of sports at every level. Sharing Ottobock’s passion for Paralympics, they are dedicated to working with the company as ambassadors promoting sport and active lifestyles for all people with disabilities.

“Heinrich’s hard work and determination to be the best in the world culminating in gold medals in London and Rio is a great source of pride for Ottobock,” said chief marketing officer, Christin Gunkel.

“His greatest achievement, however, is the work he has done with Ottobock’s product and engineering teams to help develop a sports knee and range of running blades, as well as the running clinics he hosts worldwide. His dedication to making the right equipment and support available to enable people living with disabilities the chance to enjoy running and sports at every level will be the greatest legacy of the partnership between Heinrich Popow and Ottobock.” www.ottobock.co.uk

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PARATRIATHLON THE SPORT This multi-disciplinary sport consists of swimming, cycling and running. There are opportunities for all ages and abilities and it is one of the few sports where disabled and able-bodied people can compete side by side. For the running leg of the race, participants can use a wheelchair and for the cycling part they can use a tandem cycle or handcycle if required.

The competitive distances are: • Swimming - 750m • Cycling - 20km • Running - 5km However, if you just want to get involved on a grassroots level, there are reduced distances and distances set for junior athletes too.

CLASSIFICATIONS If you wish to compete specifically in ‘Paratriathlon’ events or have ambitions of being a Paralympian then you will need to be classified so that it can be decided which category you would fit into.

There are five categories

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THE RULES Personal handlers are allowed for some classes to help with the transition elements of the race. They can assist with prosthetics or other assistive devices, lifting the athletes out of wheelchairs or handcycles, helping them out of the water and removing wetsuits or clothing.

They can also help with repairs and racking bikes during transition.

(PT1 – PT5) that you can be classified into depending on your disability, whether you are a wheelchair user, an amputee or have a visual impairment. Only PT1, PT2, PT4 and PT5 are represented at the Paralympic Games.

magazine.co.uk

29/11/2016 12:45

PARATRIATHLON

EQUIPMENT Depending on your disability, you can use a wheelchair for the running section, a traditional bike, handcycle or tandem cycle for the cycling section and visually impaired participants can naturally compete with a guide.

GET INVOLVED If you want to get into paratriathlon for the first time, British Triathlon run GO TRI Disability Novice Training Days. These events give you a taster of what paratriathlon is like and if it is something you want to get involved in on a regular basis. If you don’t fancy taking part in the swimming leg you can do a duathlon (cycling and running) or you can miss out the cycling aspect and do an aquathlon (running and swimming).

These events are open to everyone, of any age, ability or level of experience.

Equipment is provided, venues are accessible and friends and family can take part too.

Check out www.britishtriathlon.org for more information on event dates and to find your nearest club.

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01/12/2016 11:53

GOALBALL FACTS

GOALBALL

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100+ 25cm The amount of countries in which goalball is played, making it one of the most popular Paralympic sports around the world

The diameter of the ball which also has eight holes that allow players to hear the bells within the ball when it moves.

magazine.co.uk

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01/12/2016 11:59

GOALBALL

Goalball  SPORTS CLUB FOCUS

We find out more about the opportunities on offer at West Yorkshire Goalball Club.

WHAT IS GOALBALL? Goalball is a Paralympic sport for blind and partially-sighted people but domestically anybody can play as everybody wears eye shades. Therefore, because the players can’t see, an audible ball is used (the players rely on sound rather than sight) and on a tactile court (the players use touch rather than sight). It is a three-a-side game played indoors on a court that is 18m x 9m. It is non-invasive, so players must remain in their own half attacking the 9m goal in front of them by bowling the bowl along the floor and defending the 9m goal behind them by using their body as a barrier. Good all-round fitness is required as well as good tracking and orientation skills.

WHEN DID THE CLUB START? The Leeds and District Sports and Social Club for the Blind and Partially Sighted was formed in 1992 and goalball was one of the original sports members played, competing in tournaments organised by British Blind Sport. Although we still play in Leeds, we have been independently constituted and known as ‘West Yorkshire’ for almost 10 years now (to reflect the wider geographical area that our members come from).

WHO CAN GET INVOLVED? Male and female players of all ages and abilities are welcome, although players with additional disabilities may find the speed and physicality of the sport challenging. Fully sighted players are also welcome (although only players classified as B1, B2 or B3 can represent Great Britain) and there are also opportunities to get involved with coaching and officiating.

Yes, there’s no obligation to do additional training or play competitively if you don’t want to.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU TRAIN? We train once a fortnight, on alternate Sunday afternoons (from 2pm to 5pm) at Armley Leisure Centre in Leeds. As goalball is a really close knit sport, players from other local clubs (eg. Scarborough and South Yorkshire) often attend as well and we sometimes attend their sessions.

Kathryn also guided Ebrahim in the Leeds 10km (July 2016) and has guided Louise in numerous races, most recently the Leeds Abbey Dash (November 2016).

WHAT LEVEL OF COMPETITION CAN PEOPLE GO ON TO? We have teams in the Goalball UK National League at novice and intermediate level – we don’t currently have an elite team but hope to in the near future. Louise Simpson was a regular in the Great Britain Women’s squad and played at the Sydney Paralympics in 2000 and the London Paralympics in 2012.

CAN YOU ATTEND JUST FOR FUN?

Sshh

Spectators at a goalball match must remain quiet during play so that players can hear the ball. But they are free to cheer when a goal is scored.

We also arrange social activities such as going ten pin bowling and out for meals. And we take part in different challenges. For example, in August 2015, three players (Louise, Dean and Philippa) together with coach, Kathryn Fielding, took part in a coast-to-coast tandem bike ride (170 miles) for Goalball UK.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THE SPORT/CLUB? It doesn’t matter what you can or can’t see off court, as on court, the eye shades mean that everyone is equal.

Goalball UK have produced a video called ‘Transforming People’s Lives’ which explains the impact of the sport – you can watch this at www.vimeo.com/104014278.

HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED? Contact Kathryn Fielding on 07795 263642 or email kathryn@achievepotentials.co.uk to find out how you can get involved.

60kmph The speed the ball can reach during a match

magazine.co.uk | 49

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01/12/2016 11:59

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