The Roving Reporter
'That orange and blue bond'
Posted by: Amy Reiter
Tuesday, September 9, 2008 5:36 PM
Paralympian racer and University of Illinois doctoral candidate Anjali Forber-Pratt took some time off the track to e-mail The News-Gazette about training, the sights of China and hospitality at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
News-Gazette: When did you find out you would go to the Paralympic Games?
Anjali Forber-Pratt: I found out the evening of our US Trials, June 15th. After a weekend of competition they held a dinner where the 2008 Paralympic Team was announced.
NG: Have you been to the Paralympic Games before?
AF: I have not been the the Games before. I was on the 2007 Parapan American Games Team that competed in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
NG: How did you train for these Games?
AF: I have been training hard for the past two years at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as part of the University Wheelchair Track and Road Racing team. I began wheelchair racing when I was 5 years old, but then took some time off from wheelchair racing to pursue downhill skiing and to focus on school. I picked racing back up again about 2 years ago now and have had my sights set on Beijing since then. We train 6 days a week either on the road, the track or in the gym.
NG: Did you work with UI researchers to improve technology for Paralympic athletes? How?
AF: Yes, I worked with the researchers from the aerodynamics lab, I worked with my coach, Adam Bleakney,to find them and find out if they would be willing to work with us. They have been excellent to work with and so enthusiastic about the task. I met with the researchers, went to the research lab, worked with them as they designed preliminary tests and learned about the results.
I also was able to show the researchers my equipment and answer questions as they came up. The research results were surprising to us; we found that the coating we were experimenting with actually had no benefit when measuring the wind resistance. We also learned the areas where more drag is created and so I was able to adjust my seating position accordingly to better accommodate for the wind resistance.
NG: How does it feel to have so many UI-affliliated people at the Games?
AF: It is so exciting to be here and have fellow Illini here not only on my team but across many different nations. Even though we aren't all from the same country or competing in the same sport, it is nice to have that orange and blue bond. It's a great way to stay in the loop on how athletes from other sports are doing as well.
NG: When did you arrive? Have you gotten to see much of Beijing?
AF: I arrived to Beijing on the 2nd of September. I had been training with the Track and Field Team and Swimming team for 10 days prior in Okinawa, Japan at Kadena Air Force Base. So was already accustomed to the weather and the timezone which was nice. I had the opportunity to see the Great Wall of China yesterday actually. It was larger than I had imagined, and pictures certainly don't do it justice. I was so happy to be up there and to meet local individuals and tourists who were so excited that we were here and were anxious to take pictures and wish us good luck in our competitions.
NG: How are the facilities?
AF: The facilities are great, I haven't had much of a chance to explore beyond the village besides going to the Wall. The Bird's Nest is my competition venue and I was in awe of it when I first stepped inside to check it out.
NG: What is the environment behind the scenes at the Games?
AF: Behind the scenes, everybody is just so willing to help out. Anything you need is taken care of.
NG: Besides winning, do you have any personal goals for the Games?
AF: One of my goals is to have fun and to remember all that it took to get here and all the people who have helped me along the way.
NG: When do you compete?
AF: I begin competing on Day 3, Sept. 9, and continue through Day 11, Sept. 17.
Anjali's blog: http://anjaliforberpratt.com
Coming Wednesday: UI men's wheelchair basketball coach -- and Canadian men's wheelchair basketball coach -- Mike Frogley on changing the world's perceptions of athletes with disabilities.
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