"We’ve got an athletic year ahead of us," says Peter Franzel, Head of Events, Exhibitions & Sports at Ottobock. "We look forward to supporting the athletes at the major international competitions."
At both sporting events, the internationally active medical technology company will ensure that the para-athletes’ participation in the competition is secured, even if something breaks or has to be replaced on their device. After all, not only the athletes themselves will be performing outstanding physical feats of endurance and skill, the devices and medical technology they rely on will also be subjected to extreme stresses and strains. This service will be offered to the participants free of charge, regardless of the type and manufacturer of equipment used.
The World Para Athletics Championships will be held in Paris from 8 to 17 July 2023. The best athletes in the world will come together to compete in a variety of track and field disciplines, including sprinting, long jump and shot put. 18 O&P professionals from Ottobock will be on site to provide athletes with advice and practical assistance.
This will be followed by the European Para Championships in Rotterdam from 8 to 20 August 2023, a very special occasion: It marks the first multi-para sports event in Europe, covering ten different disciplines ranging from para judo and wheelchair basketball to para badminton. There will be a large workshop on site, the so-called "Ahoy Centre", and four smaller outside workshops directly next to the competition sites.
At both sports events, athletes can secure their tickets for the upcoming Paralympic Games. "As a longstanding official partner of the Paralympic Games, this type of involvement in para sports is part of our DNA. It’s fantastic to support the athletes with our technical expertise on their way to the Paralympic Games and also at the Paralympic Games next year," says Franzel.
Ottobock will then be providing technical support at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf from 9 to 16 September and at the ParaPan American Games in Chile from 17 to 25 November.
Ottobock’s involvement in para sports goes back a long way. The global market leader in prosthetics has been supporting the Paralympic Games since 1988. Since then, the company’s commitment to and involvement in sports has steadily increased.
But Ottobock doesn’t just look after elite sports events. At "Running Clinics" held worldwide, the company encourages amputees to develop a passion for sports – whether they are just starting out in running or are already more experienced and advanced. They come together for a weekend to train, practise and try out sports prostheses under expert supervision from former Paralympic star Heinrich Popow. As ever, O&P professionals from Ottobock are on hand to swap and fit the prostheses. A whole host of Running Clinics are planned for 2023, including in Armenia, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, China, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.
REHACARE.com; Source: Ottobock
