Athletes & Techs Praised After Sochi Success
UK Sport has congratulated ParalympicsGB on hitting all targets set for Sochi 2014 and achieving their best Winter Paralympic Games medal haul since Innsbruck 1984, while out of the venue Sir Philip Craven praised the work of Ottobock technicians for their high-speed repairs throughout the Games.
Great Britain’s top Para-Alpine Skiers, Jade Etherington and Kelly Gallagher, along with their guides Caroline Powell and Charlotte Evans, delivered an exceptional performance hitting the top of the medal target range agreed with the sport of 2-5 medals, winning five in total.
The Wheelchair Curling team also surpassed their minimum target of reaching the semi-finals, beating China 7-3 to win the bronze medal.
Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport, said of the campaign: ‘The final ParalympicsGB medal won by the Wheelchair Curling team represents the 633rd Olympic and Paralympic medal won since National Lottery funding for elite sport began in 1997, when our athletes’ prospects were completely transformed; this is an achievement we as a nation, and National Lottery players in particular, should be extremely proud of.’
‘We must not rest on our laurels following the success we have seen in Sochi, both at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our planning with the sports for PyeongChang 2018 began last year, so we are well prepared to build on this momentum, with a view to delivering more inspirational Winter Olympic and Paralympic performances, to inspire and motivate the nation, in four years’ time.’
Meanwhile, International Paralympic Committee President Sir Philip Craven has praised the team of Ottobock technicians charged with enabling winter Paralympians to continue performing at their best as the Ottobock workshop remained busy right up to the Closing Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.
Technicians worked until the final moments of the Winter Games in Sochi to fit specialist flag-holders to wheelchairs to enable national flag-bearers to lead their teams out at the spectacular Closing Ceremony last night.
Sir Philip Craven said: ‘For Paralympians, both summer and winter, the need for fast, expert and quality technical support is invaluable – and the Ottobock Technical Service Team worked at the very highest level behind the scenes to enable our sportsmen and women to compete.’
‘Ottobock have been a continual supporter and a great partner to the Paralympic Movement over the last 25 years and I am looking forward to many more years of their support.’
In the past two-and-a-half weeks, the 28-strong team of Ottobock technicians have carried out 260 repairs to enable Paralympic athletes from around the world to continue performing at the highest level.
Over 138 athletes, plus 41 team and Games officials and members of the Paralympic Family, from 39 nations needed repairs critical to their participation in the Games.
