New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Under the expert guidance of Paralympic gold medalist Heinrich Popow and with access to state-of-the-art prosthetic solutions, Ottobock, one of the foremost international providers of tailored prosthetic and orthotic mobility solutions, in collaboration with the Paralympic Committee of India, is hosting a three-day Running Clinic which started on Monday, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The two-time gold medallist at the Para Games talked about the importance of such initiatives and how sports prepared athletes to overcome difficulties easily.
“The running clinic event is something that comes from the bottom of my heart. This is something that brings people together and this is one of the most motivating events you can find in the community of people with disabilities.
“I really love the possibility that I can share all my experience and the knowledge which I gained when I was an athlete. So, as an orthopedic technician, this is also a very unique opportunity to also come together and talk about the difficulties, the problems we have to overcome. The amputee in India have the same problem like the amputee in Germany, but the same problem needs the same solution and the solution is sports. Sports is the language of the world, sports is the best medicine and through sports, we can really overcome difficulties easily.
Over three days, the 15 athletes were engaged in multiple activities. On Day 1, athletes were fitted with running blades and participated in focused sessions to master essential running techniques. Day 2 ramped up the momentum with rigorous training exercises followed by a cricket match intended to boost confidence and foster a sense of community. Throughout these sessions, Heinrich offered personalised guidance and shared his expertise with every athlete.
The final day will include a session with key delegates, including Heinrich Popow: Paralympic gold medalist, Rahul Swami: CEO of Paralympic Committee of India, Mats Frank: Managing Director of Ottobock, Deepa Malik: Former President of Paralympic Committee of India and Ms Manmeet Kaur : Joint Secretary Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
“The message is you only need to focus on the basics and you need to be always motivated. Never let your goals be destroyed by someone who thinks about what you can do and what you can’t do. I remember myself when I started to become an athlete everyone was saying ,with an amputation running fast is not easy.I know it’s not easy, but as soon as you make it, the not easy things make more fun so, repetition is the key,” he added.
The Running Clinic is poised to become a catalyst for change in India’s movement-related disability landscape. By equipping amputees with the skills, confidence, and technology to compete at the highest level, it is dismantling barriers and forging a path toward true sporting inclusivity.
–IANS
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