Moving Times in Beijing

The Otto Bock team consisting of 136 orthopedic technicians from 19 countries handled 2188 jobs at the Paralympics. While this figure corresponds to the results in Athens 2004, much was different at the 2008 games in Beijing.

At the closing ceremonies in the “Bird’s Nest”, IPC president Sir Philip Craven spoke of “the best Paralympics of all time” before an audience of 95,000. This applied to the competitions as well as life in the Paralympic Village, where the Otto Bock workshop became a multicultural meeting place.

There has been a remarkable increase in the variety of jobs, giving rise to the claim that the needs of each and every one of the 4,000 athletes could be met. In Beijing this, for example, included almost the entire squad of US sprinting stars looking to have their high-tech prostheses optimized. And, of course, athletes from countries such as Madagascar and Mongolia who required technical support just to get their equipment up to a competitive level. For them technicians in the workshop fabricated several prostheses and orthoses from the ground up. In the case of Baatarjav Dambadondog from Mongolia, a lower leg prosthesis was produced in a record time of less than 24 hours. Three days later the archer returned to the workshop with a gold medal around his neck – the first ever won at the Paralympics by an athlete from Mongolia: “Thank you, Otto Bock!”

Cameron Ward, an Australian on the team, explained the appeal of international cooperation for technicians in addition to moments such as that: “These types of repairs are being completed around the world, but everyone uses different methods. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to talk to other experts and learn about alternatives, which allows us to make advancements and offer even better service when we get back home.”

Even now, numerous prosthetist from the Beijing team have expressed their desire to attend the next games. There is a good chance their wish may come true: “We are proud that we were once again able to prove our expertise as a service provider. Since we have extended our Paralympics partnership with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) up to and including 2012, I am already looking forward to the 2010 games in Vancouver followed by London in 2012,” says Professor Hans Georg Näder, chairman and CEO of the Otto Bock Group.

The central workshop and the service stations at 13 competition sites were visited by athletes from more than 120 countries. They were joined by numerous prominent guests ranging from Federal President Horst Köhler and Princess Margriet from the Netherlands to Katarina Witt and IOC president Jacques Rogge, who immortalized himself on a visitor signature board with the message “Gold for Otto Bock”. Members of the sports committee of the German Bundestag were also among the visitors. Politicians and the media were especially impressed by the sustainability approach, which combined service at the Paralympics with training for 50 Chinese prosthetists who are now returning to their places of employment around the country with additional qualifications.

“The 2008 Paralympics in Beijing were fantastic, highly emotional games. My employees and I were especially impressed by the outstanding feats of the athletes and the perfect organization of the event as a whole,” said Professor Hans Georg Näder. Among the many moving personal experiences was the support received by Lassane Gasbeogo from Burkina Faso. First the Otto Bock technicians repaired his racing wheelchair so that he was able to continue training. Then the French team provided one of their models for him to use in competition. Now the hand bikers from the USA, including coach James Lehman and mechanic Chad Contreras, intend to collect racing wheelchairs and spare parts for Burkina Faso back home. Otto Bock has already pledged its support for shipment to West Africa.

Additional information:
Joachim F. Hamacher
Director of Corporate Communication / Company Spokesman
Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH, Max-Näder-Str. 15, 37115 Duderstadt
Phone: (05527) 848-1239, Fax: (05527) 848-3360
E-mail: joachim.hamacher@ottobock.de
www.ottobock.com