University of Illinois Selected as Paralympics Training Site

By Ariell Carter-Cameron on September 29, 2014

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been selected as a training site for the United State Paralympics.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Assembly was on Friday and there they announced that UIUC was selected as a training site for the U.S. Paralympics. It was presented to DRES or Disability Resources & Educational services at the university and will be a source for the training of athletes.

The training facility contains specialized equipment and measures at 2,100 square feet teamusa.org reports. It was built mainly off of funding from BP, who donated $160,000 to the project.

The Illinois program has had athletes competing in the U.S. Paralympics since the very first games, which were in 1976, and continue the tradition today.  According to teamusa.org, there are 22 athletes currently training at the university, four of which hold world records and have won marathons at Boston, Chicago, London and New York City.

Adam Bleakney, a University alum, leads the wheelchair track and field team. He has won the Chicago marathon, the Indianapolis mini marathon and took the silver over in Athens, Greece for the 800 meter.

The University of Illinois program has produced numerous star athletes. Jean Driscoll also attended the university, is a two time Olympic medalist, 12 time paralympian and holds the record for the 100,00 meter wheelchair event according to her website.

Another big name at the university is Tatyana McFadden. In the class of 2014, McFadden brought back three gold medals from London in 2012 and a silver from Sochi this year.

The training facility at the university will be home to world class athletes and will provide quality training to those up-and-coming as well as those already established.

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