American Disabled Athletes Go for Gold at 2004 Paralympic Games

American Disabled Athletes Go for Gold at 2004 Paralympic Games



ATHENS, Greece, Sept. 10  /PRNewswire/ -- A Paralympic medal is the greatest
honor that can be achieved by a disabled athlete.  Qualification for the Games
is achievement in itself, but the true honor lies in the opportunity to
represent disabled athletes nationwide.

The 2004 Paralympics Games will span 11 days, from September 17 to September
28, and will be held in the same Olympic Village in Athens, Greece as the 2004
Olympic Games.  Welcoming some 4,000 athletes from approximately 130 countries,
the Paralympic Games include many of the Olympic events, including track and
field, volleyball, sailing, judo, swimming, basketball, powerlifting, etc.

The following list highlights 10 American athletes to watch at this year's
Paralympic Games:

  * Allison Ahlfeldt, above-knee amputee from Manhattan Beach, CA, Women's
    Sit Volleyball, female who played on the U.S. Men's Disabled Volleyball
    Team

  * Matt Aldridge, bilateral above-knee amputee from Edinboro, PA,
    Powerlifting, holds 10 junior national records, holds seven junior
    national titles

  * Lori Daniels, left congenital partial foot amputee from Fort Worth, TX,
    Women's Sitting Volleyball

  * Ryan Fann*, left Symes patient from Brush Creek, TN, Track T-44 class

  * Brian Frasure*, below-knee amputee from Raleigh, NC, Track T-44 class,
    second fastest leg amputee in the world, holds the American and World
    records for his classification at 200 meters in 22.69, current 200m
    world record holder

  * Jeffrey Hantz, bilateral above-knee amputee from Latrobe, PA, Wheelchair
    Field F-56 class

  * April Holmes*, below-knee amputee from Camden, NJ, Track T-44 class,
    world-record holder in 100 meters (13.73 seconds) and 200 meters
    (28.53), founded the April Holmes Foundation in 2002 to assist learning
    and physically disabled people

  * Brad Johnson, above-knee and below-knee bilateral amputee from Fort
    Lauderdale, FL, Sailing, played on the 2000 Paralympic Men's Sitting
    Volleyball team

  * Gina McWilliams, below-knee amputee from Flower Mound, TX, Women's
    Sitting Volleyball, Captain of US team, experienced disabled sports
    athlete

  * Jarrett Perry, bilateral below-knee amputee from Wichita, KS, Swimming,
    beat his own American record in the 100-meter backstroke during
    Paralympic trials, backstroke time is the second fastest in the world


DATASOURCE: Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc.



CONTACT:  Desiree Voinche of Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc.,

[phone], 



Web site:  http://www.hanger.com/

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