Austrian para-swimmers meet Minister of Sport

Just one day after returning from the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Great Britain, Austrian swimmers Andreas Onea and Sabine Weber-Treiber met Austrian Minister of Sport Gerald Klug.

World Championships bronze medallist Onea and Weber-Treiber are two of 15 para-athletes that are part of the development programme “Project Rio 2016”, which supports athletes on their way to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Klug highlighted the importance of inclusion in the project and said: “It’s our long-term goal to not coach our athletes in separate structures. In the Project Rio 2016 we already live this philosophy; the para-athletes are completely on equal terms.

“I wish Andreas Onea and Sabine Weber-Treiber all the best on their way to the Paralympics 2016 and continuous success.”

Onea won a bronze medal at Glasgow 2015 in his favourite discipline, 100m breaststroke. He said: “Looking at the times I am right there where I wanted to be around one year before the Paralympics. Together with my team I completely changed my system after London 2012.

“The bronze medal confirms that we are on the right way.”

Through the “Project Rio 2016” Onea receives financial support for his coach, athletics training and biomechanical analysis, as well as for trainings and events.

Weber-Treiber returned without a medal from Glasgow. She was disqualified in the 100m breaststroke due to a technical error, and had to leave the Championships early due to health issues.

“I now need to focus on getting well and fit again to get a qualification slot for the Paralympics in autumn,” Weber-Treiber said. She receives support for her coach, training camps and events.

More information on Austria’s “Project Rio 2016” can be found at the project website.