China Tops Team USA in Women’s Sitting Volleyball (VIDEO)
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball team knew they would have their hands full facing China in the opening rounds of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. China, who beat the US at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing for the gold medal came out on top again, winning three of the four sets. The Americans will face Slovenia on Saturday and Brazil on Monday, also in preliminary rounds.
Sitting Volleyball American Paralympian Katie Holloway spoke with genConnect about how she achieved athletic success through mentorship and hard work. Watch:
Watch the match at www.paralympic.org or www.paralympicsport.tv
Holloway is the epitome of determination and resilience. Born without a fibula in her right leg, Holloway’s leg was amputated when she was 20 months old. Twenty-five years later, she is a decorated basketball and volleyball player set to compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games.This will be Holloway’s second Paralympic Games appearance. She hopes to inspire others to achieve their dreams, regardless of the obstacles in their way.
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“What I do and what I stand for is enabling people with physical disabilities, but also looking at overcoming your adversity and trying to express that to everyone,” she told genConnect. “No matter what you’re going through, pushing forward and pushing past that is what I try to do in my life.”
Holloway and other disabled athletes are supported by The Hartford, an insurance and wealth management service provider. The Hartford has been a supporter of U.S. Paralympic athletes since 1994 and recently became a founding partner.
Katie Holloway playing during the Beijing Olympics
In 2011, The Hartford launched Achieve Without Limits, a multi-year campaign that champions these athletes and their dedication to achieve. The campaign kickoff includes new television spots, digital advertising and a social media-driven donation, with ongoing community events.
WATCH: Inspiration From Paralympic Legend Chris Waddell
“We use what we call ‘the ability philosophy’ as part of our business,” said John Carideo, Assistant Director-Sponsorships at The Hartford. ”Simply stated, the ability philosophy concentrates on what an individual can do as opposed to what he or she can’t do. We’ve partnered with these elite, disabled athletes to do presentations and appearances with us.”
Watch Carideo discuss other ways The Hartford is supporting the Paralympic Games:
You can join The Hartford in supporting U.S. Paralympic athletes. Visit The Hartford on Facebook and join their Achieve Without Limits campaign.
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Category: Lifestyle, Sports, Videos, Views on the News
