> >> >>ROAD TO SYDNEY OPTIMAL HEALTH AWARENESS RIDE > >> >>CHAPEL HILL TO CHICAGO SEPT. 27 - OCT. 10, 1999 > >> >> > >> >>On September 27 Julia Werner, a world class disabled > >racing cyclist from > >> >>Potomac, Maryland joined Natalie Kelly and Kevin Yeaman > >in Chapel Hill, NC > >> >>to begin the Road to Sydney Optimal Health Awareness Ride. > >This ride will > >> >>cover approximately 850 miles and will culminate with > >their arrival in > >> >>Chicago on October 10 for Mannatech’s Chicago National 99. > >These cyclists > >> >>will cover the route on tandem and single bikes and will be > >joined along > >> >>the > >> >>way by other able-bodied and disabled cyclists. This ride is > >intended to > >> >>accomplish the following goals: > >> >> > >> >>I. Awareness of the Paralympic Games and Elite Athletes > >With Physical > >> >>Disabilities > >> >> Olympic-style games for elite athletes with physical > >disabilities were > >> >>first > >> >>held in Rome in 1960 and are now held > >immediately after every able-bodied > >> >>Olympiad. Based on the same sports as the able-bodied > >Olympic games, these > >> >>games are known today as the Paralympics, with para referring > >to parallel. > >> >>These games differ from the Special > >Olympics by featuring athletes with > >> >>physical, not mental, disabilities. Paralympic team members > >are selected > >> >>based on their performance in trials > >that mirror those used to select > >> >>able-bodied Olympians. The 2000 Paralympic Games will be > >hosted by Sydney, > >> >>Australia and will feature over 4,000 elite disabled > >athletes from more > >> >>than > >> >>125 countries.
On September 27 Julia Werner, a world class disabled racing cyclist from Potomac, Maryland joined Natalie Kelly and Kevin Yeaman in Chapel Hill, NC to begin the Road to Sydney Optimal Health Awareness Ride. This ride will cover approximately 850 miles and will culminate with their arrival in Chicago on October 10 for Mannatech’s Chicago National 99. These cyclists will cover the route on tandem and single bikes and will be joined along the way by other able-bodied and disabled cyclists. This ride is intended to accomplish the following goals:
I. Awareness of the Paralympic Games and Elite Athletes With Physical Disabilities Olympic-style games for elite athletes with physical disabilities were first held in Rome in 1960 and are now held immediately after every able-bodied Olympiad. Based on the same sports as the able-bodied Olympic games, these games are known today as the Paralympics, with para referring to parallel. These games differ from the Special Olympics by featuring athletes with physical, not mental, disabilities. Paralympic team members are selected based on their performance in trials that mirror those used to select able-bodied Olympians. The 2000 Paralympic Games will be hosted by Sydney, Australia and will feature over 4,000 elite disabled athletes from more than 125 countries.