Coach Adam Bleakney looks forward to seeing his athletes utilize the latest technology.

Wheelchair Track Program Receives Big Donation


Coach Adam Bleakney looks forward to seeing his athletes utilize the latest technology.
Coach Adam Bleakney looks forward to  his athletes utilizing the latest technology.

The University of Illinois wheelchair track program, which was recently designated a U.S. Paralympic training site, has recently upgraded its equipment and moved into a larger renovated facility on campus.

“We have a nice, big, spacious area, instead of being cramped in a room with chairs everywhere,” Paralympic champion Tatyana McFadden told the Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette. “The new rollers make a huge difference, and the new equipment in the weight room. Everything is adaptable for upper-body work.”

A $160,000 donation from BP was used for the renovation and equipment. The new training space houses eight new roller machines so the athletes can train during inclement weather or when they want to perform specific workouts. One unique feature of the renovation is an exterior heated ramp wide enough to accommodate racing wheelchairs.

Adam Bleakney, the 2013 Paralympic National Coach of the Year, is excited about the new changes. “Having access to the resources of BP will allow us to really accentuate some of the finer qualities of this training environment,” he says. “There are things I’ve wanted to do in the past to make the training more effective but didn’t have the resources.”

Bleakney looks forward to seeing his athletes utilize the latest technology. For example, he can customize the resistance on a roller that can simulate hill climbs. Each athlete can also use an iPhone or iPad to get feedback on their cadence, speed, time, power and resistance.

These changes will keep Bleakney and the University of Illinois near the top of the Paralympic heap. “I think here at the UI we take pride at being on the leading edge of research and innovation and being science-based in all of our training,” he says.


Support New Mobility

Wait! Before you wander off to other parts of the internet, please consider supporting New Mobility. For more than three decades, New Mobility has published groundbreaking content for active wheelchair users. We share practical advice from wheelchair users across the country, review life-changing technology and demand equity in healthcare, travel and all facets of life. But none of this is cheap, easy or profitable. Your support helps us give wheelchair users the resources to build a fulfilling life.

donate today

Comments are closed.