Athletes with physical and visual disabilities can sign up now to participate in a Gateway to Gold talent identification event in Minneapolis on Saturday, Oct. 10. The event is hosted by Sports Minneapolis, powered by Meet Minneapolis, in conjunction with U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee. The goal of the event is to discover athletes who could compete at a future Paralympic Games.
The Gateway to Gold Program will introduce people with physical disabilities and visual impairments, including youth, adults and military veterans, to a range of Paralympic sports, with hopes of identifying individuals for the athlete pipeline. These talent identification events are being held in several cities across the country, and in Minneapolis, the event will focus on three sports: cycling, Nordic skiing, and track and field. As a part of the clinic, prospective athletes will be tested on a variety of skills that can help determine their aptitude for any Paralympic sport, not just the three being tested.
U.S. Paralympian and 100m world record holder Jarryd Wallace will attend the event and provide encouragement to participants, as well as training tips and techniques.
“The U.S. Paralympic Team strives to be the best in the world. But we cannot get to the top of the podium without the help of community partners like Sports Minneapolis,” said Rick Adams, chief of Paralympic Sport and NGB Organizational Development. “With Sports Minneapolis’ help in hosting this Gateway to Gold talent identification clinic, U.S. Paralympics might find the next great Paralympic champion in your backyard.”
“Sports Minneapolis is proud to be a partner in creating an opportunity for athletes from our community to test their skills and explore their potential,” said Scott M. Romane, Executive Director of Sports Minneapolis. “We’re hoping U.S. Paralympics will find some extraordinary talent right here in Minneapolis, so I encourage all eligible athletes to sign up to participate.”
The Minneapolis Gateway to Gold event will be held Saturday, Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Minneapolis Sports Center, at 2121 E. Lake St. For registration information, visit the registration website or call Sports Minneapolis Event Manager Dolores Karan at 612-767-8184. Participation is free. Anyone who is interested in volunteering at the event should visit the volunteer website .
The program is sponsored by BP, which has contributed significant funding and support at the community level since the inception of the Gateway to Gold program in 2013. BP has been a sponsor of U.S. Paralympics for more than five years and continues its support today by contributing funding for grassroots adaptive sports programs in communities around the U.S.
About Sports Minneapolis: Sports Minneapolis, powered by Meet Minneapolis, works to recruit, enhance and produce sporting events in the Minneapolis area for the benefit of our community. We do this by partnering with event rights holders to assist them with venue selection, event services, volunteer identification, marketing and promotional support, and on-site recognition opportunities in order to ensure a successful event. For more information, visit www.sportsminneapolis.org.
About U.S. Paralympics: U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the Paralympic sports movement and to promoting excellence in the lives of persons with physical and visual disabilities. Visit the U.S. Paralympics website at usparalympics.org. Visit the U.S. Paralympics Gateway to Gold website at GatewayToGold.org.
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