Team of prosthetists, orthotists and wheelchair technicians get set to support athletes from around the world at the London 2012 Paralympic Games
Set up starts on the workshops where the Ottobock Technical Service Team will repair and maintain equipment used by athletes competing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games
Today Ottobock Healthcare, Official Wheelchair, Prosthetic and Orthotic Technical Service Provider for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, began setting up workshops in the Paralympic Villages and nine competition venues, ready to begin repair and maintenance services when athletes arrive ahead of the opening of the Games.
In just two days over 13 tonnes of equipment and 15,000 spare parts will be set up ready for the workshops to open on August 22nd. The workshops will be staffed by an international team of 80 prosthetists, orthotists and wheelchair technicians, experts in the equipment used by Paralympic athletes in competition. The team will also include 12 welders responsible for repairing damage to wheelchair frames common in the hard-hitting Wheelchair Rugby and Basketball competitions.
On arrival in the Paralympic Village final preparations for many Paralympians is expected to include a visit to the Ottobock workshop to ensure their equipment is ready for competition.
Like the services provided by mechanics in motor racing, Ottobock is responsible for the service and maintenance of equipment relied on by Paralympians and getting them back into the competition as fast as possible. Ottobock technicians will be ready next to the field of play at the Velodrome, North Greenwich Arena, Basketball Arena, Royal Artillery Barracks, Greenwich Park, ExCeL, Eton Manor and Brands Hatch. There will also be an Ottobock workshop in the Olympic Stadium where the team will service a diverse range of equipment including the high-tech chairs used in wheelchair racing and the running blades used by the world’s fastest Paralympic sprinters.
An additional mobile workshop will support the marathon and hand cycling road race.
Repairs may range from simple tyre punctures to complex prosthetic knee repairs – all requiring specialist knowledge and speed. The team of technicians will be required to work creatively to solve equipment problems across all Paralympic sports.
Ottobock has been a partner to the Paralympic Games providing technical service since the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games, and since then has completed approximately 10,000 repairs for athletes during competition.
The Ottobock Technical Service Team for the London 2012 Paralympic Games will include 15 members from Great Britain working alongside colleagues from Australia, Belgium, Japan, Germany, China, Canada, USA, Spain, France, Russia, Portugal, Mexico, Switzerland, Brazil, Netherland, Singapore, Ireland and Argentina. They have been selected for their expertise in the complete range of adaptive equipment, products and brands used by Paralympic athletes and their services are available to all 4,200 competing athletes.
“Ottobock is very proud of our history as technical service provider for the Paralympic Games,” said Professor Hans Georg Nader, President and CEO of Ottobock. “We have been a Partner since the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games. The London 2012 Paralympic Games will be the 12th where we have had the honour of supporting all competing Paralympians and providing them with the confidence that their technical needs will be understood and expertly repaired, so that they can concentrate on performance and competition.”
“Ottobock has spent many years preparing an expert team to provide technical services for athletes at the London 2012 Paralympic Games,” said Ken Hurst, Technical Director, Ottobock London 2012 Leadership Team’. “Our 80 strong team is ready for what will no doubt be a busy, but very rewarding experience. The athleticism of Paralympic athletes puts great pressure on the equipment they use to compete. As a result we expecting them to come to us with a wide range of requirements; we are prepared to deal with them with the speed and best quality service that Ottobock is renowned for around the world.”
(Pictured: Ottobock Healthcare has announced a 6,500 ft2 workshop in the Athletes’ Village is being prepared for an influx of Paralympians today. Ottobock Healthcare, Official Technical Service Provider for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, will set up over 13 tonnes of maintenance equipment ready to begin repairs one week ahead of the Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.)
Ottobock is a world leading supplier of high quality, innovative and practical solutions that restore human mobility and help people to rediscover personal independence. Ottobock Healthcare is part of the Ottobock global group of companies established in the UK in 1976. Its wide product range includes high quality prosthetic and orthotic components, wheelchairs, rehabilitation and mobility products available through the country's leading clinics and dealers. With a highly motivated and skilled team of professionals offering expert advice, product sales, service and support, Ottobock solutions enhance the physical comfort, confidence and mobility of the individual. Ottobock aims to achieve the best possible outcome for its customers, combining the latest technology with cutting-edge products and services.
Ottobock is also the Official Prosthetic, Orthotic and Wheelchair Technical Service Provider of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. It has been supporting people with disabilities participate in sports and recreation for more than three decades, and has been a Partner of the Paralympic Games since 1988. Ottobock has been an official ‘Worldwide Partner of the Paralympic Movement’ since 2005. www.ottobock.co.uk
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