Vladykina, Akhmetov join #ProudParalympian

“It was a powerful experience for me to share my experience with athletes from around the world and in a new sport. This type of programme would have a huge potential here for our athletes."

Russian multiple world and Paralympic champion Oleysa Vladykina and Kazakhstan’s Asian Para Games gold medallist Anuar Akhmetov took some time out of winning medals in the pool this week (26-30 July), to help deliver Proud Paralympian, the International Paralympic Committee’s athlete education programme.

Vladykina, who won her third title in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8 at July’s swimming Worlds, swapped the water for dry land to liaise with athletes at the 2015 IPC Powerlifting Asian Open Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Akhmetov, won also medalled at the Worlds as well as winning gold in the 100m backstroke S12 at Incheon 2014, joined Vladykina in speaking to powerlifters in Almaty.

‘I was asked by the NPC [National Paralympic Committee] of Kazakhstan to get involved with Proud Paralympian,” Akhmetov said. “It was a powerful experience for me to share my experience with athletes from around the world and in a new sport. This type of programme would have a huge potential here for our athletes. I would like to be involved in the future’.

The Proud Paralympian workshops were the latest chance in 2015 for athletes to be part of the pilot for the programme, which is aimed at Paralympians and those who aspire to compete at the Paralympic Games. It is designed to support athlete development both on and off the field of play, as individuals and active citizens.

Vladykina and Akhmetov led sessions on the Paralympic Movement and the Paralympic values as well as talking to athletes about how to tell their own stories, as often they are asked to give talks at schools or organisations about their experiences.

The workshops complimented IPC Powerlifting’s anti-doping campaign, Raise the Bar – Say No! to Doping.

Vladykina and members of the Kazakhstan powerlifting team also gave a motivational speech to Almaty’s local football team Kairat Almaty ahead of their UEFA Europa League match again Aberdeen on Thursday (30 July). The talk had the desired effect, with the local team winning 2-1.

More than 220 athletes from 32 countries competed in Almaty, where 13 junior and senior world records were broken over five days.

The next stop for Proud Paralympian is the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games.

Proud Paralympian can be followed on Twitter using #ProudParalympian.