On Thursday, a piece of Luxembourg sports history was written. During an official ceremony at the rehabilitation center in Neudorf-Weimershof, the Luxembourg Paralympic Committee (LPC) presented the first official Paralympic squad in its history. A total of nine athletes met the previously defined criteria and were assigned to the elite or promotional squad depending on their objectives.
Five athletes are part of the elite squad: Joël Adams (para-cycling), Tom Habscheid (para-athletics – shot put), Katrin Kohl (para-athletics – racing wheelchair), Joé Kurt (para-triathlon) and Steve Nothum (para-sport shooting, para-trap). In addition, four other athletes are in the promotion squad: Philippe Hein (para-table tennis), Roberto Lomba (para-judo), Massimo Saputo (para-athletics – sprint) and Matteo Scuto (para-table tennis).
The fact that there are Paralympic squads for the first time also helps to improve the perception of para-sports.
Katrin Kohl
The LPC faced a challenge in determining the admission criteria, as there are a large number of para-sports and these cannot be compared one-to-one when evaluating them. In addition, the degree of impairment of an athlete with regard to the practice of a sport must not be lost sight of.
Katrin Kohl (l.) receives the certificate for admission to the elite squad from LPC President Marc Schreiner Photo: Stéphane Guillaume
A working group, which included athlete spokesperson Kohl, created a multi-layered concept that was to serve as the basis for the initial selection of the squad. “On the one hand, there is the possibility of orienting ourselves on times and distances, as is the case in athletics or swimming,” explains sports director Marc Kiefer, “on the other hand, we orient ourselves on high-level events, provided our athletes take part in them.”
There are also world rankings as a tool for measuring performance, although a distinction must be made here. “In athletics, the ‘one’ best result is decisive, while in triathlon a quotient is formed from the three best results,” says Kiefer, who is aware of the problems this entails. Nevertheless, it is important to know how the top international results relate to the results of the para-athletes here in the country and what chances the members of the elite squad have of meeting the qualification standards for the Paralympic Games.
Performance and potential
“We want to both promote performance and develop potential,” said the sports director, with the aim of being able to integrate the members of the development squad into the elite squad within a maximum period of eight years. For the elite squad, however, the clear focus is on the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris and four years later in Los Angeles.
For Marc Schreiner, President of the LPC, the appointment of the first LPC squad is of great importance. “It is particularly important for our athletes that there is now official recognition for their achievements in Paralympic sport. We have great athletes in our ranks and hope that both our elite squad and our promotional squad will continue to develop and that we can provide them with the best possible support conditions together with our partners.”
Sports director Marc Kiefer explains the starting position for squad selection. Photo: Stéphane Guillaume
Kohl agrees with the president. “The fact that there are Paralympic squads for the first time also helps to improve the perception of para-sports. It gives us more visibility and that is important in the development and promotion of para-sports.”
Of the five athletes from the elite squad, Kohl and Habscheid probably have the most realistic chances of taking part in the games in Paris. “Unfortunately, Tom’s comeback came at short notice and he missed the World Championships as a qualification opportunity. But with his current results he would have been up there,” Schreiner believes there is a good chance that Habscheid will get a starting place through the “High Performance Allocation” and adds: “Every country can apply for a wildcard for one male and one female athlete.”
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The LPC nominated only one athlete, Kohl, for a wildcard and is hoping to get a starting place here too. Two athletes at the Paralympic Games in Paris would already be twice as many as in 2021 in Tokyo (JPN), when Habscheid represented Luxembourg alone.
Paralympic Framework
Elite: Joël Adams (Para-cycling), Tom Habscheid (Para-athletics – shot put), Katrin Kohl (Para-athletics – racing wheelchair), Joé Kurt (Para-triathlon), Steve Nothum (Para-sport shooting, Para-trap)
Promotion: Philippe Hein (Para-Table Tennis), Roberto Lomba (Para-Judo), Massimo Saputo (Para-Athletics – Sprint), Matteo Scuto (Para-Table Tennis)
2024-05-31 11:02:11
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