[ 2012-08-25 ]

Virgin Atlantic Supports Ghanaian Paralympic Team to London
Competing in this year's Paralympic Games
scheduled for 29th August to 9th September, 2012
in London, are Alem Mumuni, Charles Narh Teye,
Rapheal Nkegbe Botsyo and Anita Fordjour.

Alem successfully defended his title as African
champion in December last year and went on to
participate at the International Cycling Union
(UCI) Para-Cycling Road World Championship, where
he was one of two Africans. He is the first
Ghanaian para-cyclist to compete at a Paralympic
Games, thus making history for Ghana.

“The battle has just begun. I will work hard to
make Ghana and Africa proud. It is a great honour
to qualify,” said Alem.

Teye, a Powerlifter, made the qualifying mark
after winning gold at the International Paralympic
Committee (IPC) Powerlifting Invitational
Tournament in the United Kingdom last January, as
well as participating in a similar event in Dubai
recently.

Teye added “Qualifying for London 2012 is not
easy but sports have made me to realize I could do
everything able persons can. I will use this
opportunity to help others believe too.”

Botsyo is a two-time Paralympian whilst Fordjour
won bronze at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo,
Mozambique; Both are wheelchair track athletes'.

Tosan Woode; Head of Sales and Marketing at Virgin
Atlantic said “We are so excited to be
supporting such a great programme with the Right
to Dream Organisation, we wish the Athletes all
the best and congratulate them for all the hard
work put into the programme.

Susie Daniell, head of Paralympic Programme of
Right to Dream, said the long term vision of the
programme is to establish the first ever
residential youth programme for para-sports at the
Academy.

Competing at London 2012 is not the end of the
mission; the athletes are determined to use the
opportunity and platform on the world stage to
become role models for society, changing the
perception of disability in Ghana and inspiring
the next generation of para-sporting talent to
become world class athletes and leaders of change.
It is the athletes' ambition that they sow the
seeds for the next generation of Ghanaian disabled
athletes.

At the moment they are in Bedford undergoing
intensive National Paralympic Committee (NPC)
training camp as they bid to make history for
their country at London 2012. This year's Games
marks the first time four athletes have competed
for Ghana at a Paralympic Games.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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