Paralympics Ireland have today announced that Wheelchair Travel and Sports Rehabilitation have become the Official Supplier of Medical and Sports Rehabilitation Products to Paralympics Ireland.
Paralympic hopeful Patrick Flanagan joined representatives of Paralympics Ireland and Wheelchair Travel and Sports Rehabilitation, to announce a new partnership between the two organisations, that will include the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Flanagan is one of the top swimmers in Europe and is hoping that he has done enough to earn a place on the plane to Tokyo as part of the Team Ireland Para Swimming team. The young swimming star has achieved the Minimum Qualifying and High-Performance Standards and now joins his team mates in awaiting news of the slot allocation for Team Ireland.
“I have had a really good campaign in the pool despite the blow of having the games postponed. I feel like my performances have really improved thanks to the work that I have been putting in during the postponement and I believe I showed that improvement at the European Championships in Portugal recently.”
Flanagan narrowly missed out on being a medallist in Portugal but believes that the experience of competing at a competition with full Covid prevention protocols will only stand to the group.
“We learned so much over in Portugal about travelling during Covid restrictions, the daily testing environment, spending so much time on your own in your room, social distancing in transport and at competition venues, and the importance of observing the safety protocols. That is why having an announcement like today with the Wheelchair Travel and Sports Rehabilitation Ireland is so important, it means that we will have the top-class safety equipment that we need. Myself and my fellow athletes will feel safe at all times allowing us to just concentrate on doing our best when we get into competition.”
Speaking about awaiting news on slot allocations for Team Ireland Patrick said:
“We are all really in the same boat to be honest. You have to hope that, as an individual, I have done enough to get one of those slots. Sport can be tough so, no matter what, someone is going to miss out and that is really hard because if it’s not me then it’s one of my teammates and we are all friends so I will be devastated for them and disappointed if it’s me that loses out. That is just the nature of sport, and we all know that when we start out, but I do know that anyone who gets on the plane will have earned it and that it will be a really strong team that competes for Ireland at the Paralympic Games.”
Wheelchair Travel and Sports Rehabilitation are a 100% Irish owned company that are dedicated to helping improve the daily living environment for people with an impairment through their new programme “Education In Motion” which includes solutions for mobility, health control, incontinence, and dementia products.
As part of the new partnership Wheelchair Travel and Sports Rehabilitation will supply a range of essential personal protective equipment, Trauma and Physio equipment for Team Ireland as they go forward to compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games. That equipment will include a range of PPE, infection control packs and a range of medical, health care and mobility equipment.
Speaking about the announcement Paralympics Ireland CEO Miriam Malone said:
“Paralympics Ireland are very pleased to welcome Wheelchair Travel and Sports Rehabilitation as partners to Team Ireland. They are providing us with essential Medical and Sports Rehabilitation equipment which will be of vital importance to the Paralympic Team that represents us in Tokyo this year. I would like to thank Dave Lahart and his team for their help and support, and I really look forward to a partnership that will blossom in Tokyo and on into Paris 2024.”
Speaking about the Announcement Dave Lahart, Director of Wheelchair Travel and Sports Rehabilitation said:
“We are extremely excited to partner Team Ireland for the next 4 years. Paralympics Ireland is exactly the type of organisation we want to align ourselves with and we look forward to a great partnership over the coming years. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all the athletes of Team Ireland the very best of luck and success in Tokyo.”
