YOUTH TRAINING FOR THE PARALYMPICS - BERLIN

08.06.2011

Midday

Immediately after the BILD interview, during which we talked extensively about the Olympic Games, we make our way to Brandenburg Gate. Here I meet up with athletes who take part in the school competition "Youth Training for the Paralympics". Together with representatives of the German Sports Committee, the president of the German Disabled Sports Association Friedhelm Julius Beucher and the chairman of the German Disabled Sports Youth Norbert Fleischmann, I meet the approx. 200 participants of the national final in Berlin.

From June 7th to the 10th young athletes from all over Germany compete in  athletics, table tennis, wheelchair basketball and swimming. A total of 27 teams from 12 federal states entered the competition that is taking place under the auspices of Federal President Christian Wulff.

The students compete on an impressively high athletic level and among them are many talents who certainly could take part in Paralympic Games in the near future. I think this initiative is a fantastic way to support these young students and also the disabled sports in general. Moreover I am convinced that hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Germany would offer a great opportunity to endorse disabled sports even more.