TRACK AND FIELDMay 13 2008
U.S. Paralympic's choose Scott Winkler as National Ambassador
United States Olympic Committee Chief Executive Officer, Charles Huebner, has appointed Scott Winkler as one of the US Paralympic official ambassadors and mentors for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Scott Winkler has been chosen, along with 29 other Paralympians, for a mentor and awareness program Huebner has selected to help spread the word about the Paralympics nationally. Winkler will speak and make appearances on behalf of the US Paralymics.
In the invitation Huebner, "Paralympic's mentors you were chosen for a reason. You are viewed as a leader, influencer, a role model, and an ideal mentor for our organization."
Winkler will be attending a training session in Washington D.C. in May. He said of the appointment, "I am honored to be asked. I train kids now and this will just help me reach more people and share how adaptive sports can help them achieve their dreams."
May 7 2008
Scott Winkler's Road to Beijing 2008
United States Paralympic Ambassador Scott Winkler has a whole documentary team following him. However, NBC has beat them all with their exclusive short, "Determination," now playing on NBCOlympics.com. Scott Winkler already holds the world record in adaptive shot put (10.23 meters). He also took the gold medal for shot put and the bronze for discus at the Rio Parapan Games last fall. He became the first Iraq veteran to make the Paralympic Team.
His war wound left him paralyzed from the bottom of the chest down. He said losing his legs was, "like being born again." In 2006 Winkler truly was born again as he found joy in life again after discovering he could throw a shot put - and he could throw it great.
By 2007, drive and practice made him the world adaptive shot put record holder; he broke his own record twice while achieving that goal.
Winkler has currently been honored by the U.S. Olympic Committee with an invitation to be an Ambassador for their Paralympic awareness programs. He is also in full-time training for the games.
Apr 14 2008
Scott Winkler Sets World Record in Shot Put at 2007U.S. Paralympics Track and Field National Championships
Paralympic hopeful Scott Winkler (Grovetown, Ga.) set a new world record in the men’s F54 shot put with a throw of 10.23m at the 2007 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships. The distance automatically qualifies Winkler as a member of the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Team, making him the first Iraq war veteran to make the team."I just want to do my best," said Winkler. "I believed and achieved my goals. If you believe, you can do anything you want, and my end goal is to get to Beijing next year and win a medal."The previous world record distance of 9.76m was held by Markku Niinimaki of Finland, set at the 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships.Winkler was injured in Tikrit, Iraq in 2003 while serving in the U.S. Army. He fell off of an ammunition truck and sustained a T-3, T-4 spinal cord injury which resulted in paraplegia.
From U.S. Olympics News 2007 (http://www.usoc.org/). Visit the U.S. Paralympics Web site at http://www.usparalympics.org/. #end
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