U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, announced that Dalton Dietrich (Anchorage, AK), 13 years of age, is one of 25 student athletes with a physical disability selected to attend the 2008 International Paralympic Academy, September 5-11, in Beijing, China.

According to Dalton, “I’m very excited but I also wish that more people from the BlazeSports Alaska Program could attend. Other than that, I’m really excited to go to China.”

The 2008 Paralympic Academy Beijing offers a very select group of young student athletes with physical disabilities and coaches to experience the Paralympic Games firsthand. Participants have the opportunity to meet U.S. Paralympic team members in addition to attending ceremonies and competition, gaining an insider’s perspective on the Games.

“Less than five-percent of kids with physical disabilities participate in physical fitness programs,” said Charlie Huebner, Chief of U.S. Paralympics. “The Paralympic Academy Beijing provides us an opportunity to recognize those kids with physical disabilities and programs that promote physical fitness programs and health.”

The first International Paralympic Academy took place at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. The second event was held at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

Student athletes, coaches and program leaders were chosen based on their essay entries focused on how sports have impacted their lives. Entries were judged by an independent panel. 

Two other Anchorage residents have been selected to join Dalton at the 2008 Paralympic Academy Beijing. They are BlazeSports Alaska volunteer coach Dave Poulin, and Challenge Alaska Executive Director Beth Edmands.

To learn more about U.S. Paralympics please visit their website at http://www.usolympicteam.com/paralympics/.