10 September 2007

A group of 24 athletes and 18 staff have completed a successful Summer Simulation Camp in the Far East as part of their preparations for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

The mix of track athletes, throwers and wheelchair racers tested facilities in both Hong Kong and Macau for a two-week period in conjunction with the British Paralympic Association – the the aim was to simulate the team’s preparation plans leading into Beijing.

The timeframe was chosen to exactly match the planned preparation period in 2008, with all athletes being closely monitored throughout to asses the affects of time change, heat and humidity on their performance, and better inform arrangements for next year. The camp concluded with a two-day competition simulation as the ultimate test of how the preparations had gone.

Senior Performance Manager for Disability Tim Jones said “this has been a particularly useful experience for athletes and staff alike. Even the most experienced of our athletes found performing in the heat and humidity a real challenge during the initial acclimatisation period.

“Our plans will be much better informed as a result of this tour. The competition to conclude the Camp was extremely important and we were particularly impressed by the focus, application and performances of all of our athletes. I am sure they will all feel much more comfortable in their final preparation phase into Beijing on the back of this experience”.

A number of the athletes are now competing at the IWAS World Games in Chinese Taipei, including Brian Alldis, Nathan Stephens and Anne Wafula Strike. For the latest news and results please visit the 2007 IWAS Games site.