Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Young athletes competing in the National Junior Disability Championships

New Jersey's Rutgers Livingston campus is currently hosting the National Junior Disability Championships and and the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Federation Junior Games.

The Star-Ledger reports that "the games bring together more than 400 athletes, ages 7 to 22, and coaches from about 25 states and 19 foreign counties. About 34 New Jersey athletes are participating in the NJDC, and seven in the IWAS games. The competitors participated in several national events to qualify for the championships and compete in sports such as swimming, track and field, archery, weightlifting, soccer, table tennis and basketball. Some are also headed to Beijing for the Paralympic Games, event organizers said."

"These kids don't want to feel sorry for themselves," said Trisha Yurochko, co-meet director of the events. "These are athletes. We don't look at them as being disabled. We look at the abilities they have."