American paralympic basketball player had a workshop in Primorye

A member of the USA national wheelchair basketball team, participant of four Olympic Games Lawrence Johnson gave the first training session for basketball players from Primorye today.

According to Physical Culture and Sport Department in Primorye, from 21st to 26th April American paralympic sportsman will conduct presentations and basketball trainings for disabled in wheelchair from Vladivostok and Artem. The project became possible due to cooperation between Consulate General of the USA in Vladivostok, Administration of Primorskiy Krai and sport and social organizations for people with disabilities.

Tomorrow Lawrence Johnson will conduct a workshop in Vladivostok in “Champion-2” spots center, on Wednesday and Thursday it will take place in Artem. On Saturday, April 26, American athlete will take part in final match of Primorskiy Krai wheelchair basketball team. The game starts at 4 p.m.
Lawrence Johnson was paralyzed in a car accident at the age of 17. Since that time Johnson, who adopted a pseudonym “Trooper”, has achieved incredible results.
Today Trooper Johnson is the Youth Sports Program Coordinator for the Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program, providing sports and recreation opportunities for kids with physical disabilities. The director of Physical Culture and Sport Department of Primorskiy Krai,

Jan Kuznetsov, noticed that it was the first visit of the basketball player to Primorye.

“We will invite athletes of equal level to other kinds of paralympic sports. As well, there are players from St.Petersburg here today, they are Russian Champions. I am concerned that this meeting will become a great impulse to development of paralympic sports in our country. We also have a plan to acquire a group of buildings in Lazovy village for further reconstruction in order to create a sports center for people with disabilities. “Olympiets” sports center is scheduled to open a gym for athletes with disabilities.”
Administration of Primorskiy Krai Press-cutting Service

IA SportPrimorye

Photo by Tatiana Ogorodnikova