IPC Press Releases Dec 01, 2011: Morgan Perrin, The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced its shortlist for November’s Athlete of the Month award. The public has until 23:59 (CET) on 6 December to vote for who they think had the best performance last month on the para-sport scene. Fans can vote on the IPC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/paralympicsporttv.
The finalists for November include:
– Daniel Dias (Brazil): The swimmer made himself the face of this year’s Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, with 11 gold medals in as many races. He set seven Games records on the way to winning all of his events.
– Chelsea McClammer (USA): The 17-year-old wheelchair racer won five golds and a bronze at the Parapans, topping the individual Athletics medal chart. She set Games records in the 200m and 800m T54 races.
– Gustavo Fernandez (Argentina): At 17, Argentina’s Wheelchair Tennis star won singles gold at the Parapans with a dominating, two-set victory over teammate Agustin Ledesma. He then teamed up with Ledesma in the doubles competition to take home a silver.
– Luis Andrade Guillen (Mexico): The S8 swimmer won four golds, three silvers and a bronze at the Parapans, setting Games records in the 50m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly, 200m Individual Medley and an Americas record in the 100m Freestyle.
– Colombia men’s Wheelchair Basketball team: After barely slipping past the Parapans quarter-final round with a 1-point victory over Argentina, Colombia shocked heavily favoured Canada in overtime in the semi-finals. Despite losing to USA in the finals, Colombia claimed silver and qualified for its first Paralympic Games.
– Brazil men’s Sitting Volleyball team: The squad earned the sole London 2012 qualification spot up for grabs in men’s Sitting Volleyball after winning six of seven of its matches at the Parapans and defeating USA in the finals to win gold.
Previous winners of the award in 2011 are:
– January: Yon Santacana (Spain’s world champion Alpine Skier)
– February: Italy’s Ice Sledge Hockey European Championship team
– March: Neil Fachie (Great Britain’s world champion track Para-Cyclist)
– April: Mikhalina Lysova (Russia’s world champion Biathlete and Cross-Country Skier)
– May: Kristy Pond (Australia’s multi-medal winner at the Arafura Games)
– June: Zoe Newson (Great Britain’s junior world champion in Powerlifting)
– July: Danielle Brown (Great Britain’s three-time medallist at the Para-Archery World Championships)
– August: Ellie Cole (Australia’s six-time gold medallist at Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships)
– September: Mark Rohan (Ireland’s handcycling road world champion)
– October: Natalia Partyka (Poland’s Para-Table Tennis European singles champion)
Canada’s Morgan Perrin is returning to competitive skiing after breaking his foot during the 2011 IPC World Championships in Sestriere, Italy. He hopes this season will bring increased media attention to Para-Skiing, not least because athletes would like increased sponsorship to afford to train professionally.
“A lot of people watch able-bodied skiing, because it’s exciting to watch and I don’t think that our sport is that much different,” he said. “It would be good for more people to see it and understand what Para-Alpine Skiing is. It may also help Para-athletes to acquire sponsors and perhaps more funding.”
Perrin says he is fully recovered from his injury and will be returning to competition at 100 percent fitness and maybe more.
“I’m probably better than I was,” he told paralympic.org, the IPC’s official website. “At the World Cup, I’d like to be consistently amongst the top ten in the Super G and for the Slalom, if I could get a top 15, I would be super happy with that,” the 25-year-old said.
Perrin is especially excited about the World Cup final in Panorama, Canada. “We train there every year, so I’m super happy that we’re going there. I’m super familiar with the hill. It’s not super hard and it’s really fun.
“It’ll be nice to have the home team advantage and the home crowd. “Hopefully we’re not too tired by then. The coaches will be making sure that we peak at that point,” he said.
Perrin admits he loves speed, his favourite event being Downhill. But since this event will not appear on the World Cup circuit, his other goal for the season is to repeat his Downhill win at the NORAM Cup in Kimberly Canada in February 2012.
“I’d certainly like to win the NORAM Downhill. I won it last time I was there, so I’d like to repeat that,” he said. Looking further ahead, Perrin has his eyes on winning a medal at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics.
“I’d like to have a podium, if I could manage that in the Paralympics in 2014, but I’m not sure how well I’ll race after that,” he said. The first NORAM event will take place on 12-15 December in Copper Mountain, USA.
For more information on Morgan Perrin, please visit:http://alpinecanada.org/athlete/perrin
For more information on IPC Alpine Skiing, please visit www.ipc-alpineskiing.org
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions.
The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to develop sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.
Founded on 22 September 1989, the IPC is an international non-profit organization formed and run by 170 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from five regions and four disability specific international sports federations (IOSDs). The IPC Headquarters and its management team are located in Bonn, Germany.
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