By Laura Fonda Hochnadel
They scored first and second, respectively.
Photograph by Trey Barclay, CEO of Amputee
Blade Runners, courtesy of Nashville Prosthetics.
The 15th University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), Edmond, Endeavor Games started with a splash on Thursday, June 5. After a one-year hiatus, swimming was returned to the schedule. According to Whitt Carter, UCO’s communications specialist, Wellness Center, it was a highlight of this year’s games and was “bigger and better than ever.” Swimming was hosted at the new Edmond Mitch Park YMCA, which boasts a state-of-the-art, Olympic-size pool.
About 340 entry-level to elite athletes, several of whom had competed in the 2012 London Summer Games, converged for the four-day event. The nationally recognized multi-sport competition allows athletes of all ages with physical disabilities to participate and also serves as an introduction to parasports.
Paracanoe racing was added to this year’s event, and it was the second year for the paratriathlon—both of which will be included at the upcoming 2016 Paralympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In paracanoe racing, which was presented last year as an exhibition, athletes are classified as either LTA, meaning the paddler has functional use of his or her legs, trunk, and arms for paddling; TA, meaning the paddler has functional use of his or her arms; or A, meaning the paddler has no trunk function and thus applies force predominantly using the arms and/or shoulders. Two types of boats are used, kayaks (K) and va’a, or outrigger canoes (V), and paddlers can compete as singles or in pairs.
Twelve men and three women participated in the paratriathlon’s 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bicycle course, and 5-kilometer run. Participants had to be age 16 years or older and had to have participated in a previous triathlon to compete. The event was able to continue as planned, despite heavy rains the morning of the event.
“We had about 15 athletes compete, and we are looking forward to it continuing to grow in years to come, hopefully with better weather,” Carter said. “We recognize the importance being placed on this event at the Paralympic level, so it’s something we expect to improve each year.”
Other sports on the competition schedule were indoor/outdoor archery, cycling (20-kilometer and 5-kilometer courses), powerlifting (ages 16 and up), sitting volleyball, shooting, swimming, table tennis, track and field, and wheelchair basketball three-on-three (adult and junior).
The Endeavor Games is endorsed or sanctioned by U.S. Paralympics, Disabled Sports USA, and Wheelchair Sports USA.
