What: Athletes with physical and visual disabilities will participate in a Gateway to Gold talent identification event, which is held to help discover athletes who could compete at future Paralympic Games.

When: Saturday, Oct. 10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Minneapolis Sports Center, 2121 E. Lake St.

More: This Gateway to Gold event is hosted by Sports Minneapolis, powered by Meet Minneapolis, in conjunction with U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee.

These talent identification events are being held in several cities across the country, and in Minneapolis, the event will focus on three sports: cycling, Nordic skiing, and track and field. As a part of the clinic, prospective athletes will be tested on a variety of skills that can help determine their aptitude for any Paralympic sport, not just the three being tested.

U.S. Paralympian and 100m world record holder Jarryd Wallace will attend the event and provide encouragement to participants, as well as training tips and techniques.

U.S. Paralympic gold-medalist and Minnesota native Paul Nitz will also be at the event and available for interviews.

The program is sponsored by BP, which has contributed significant funding and support at the community level since the inception of the Gateway to Gold program in 2013. BP has been a sponsor of U.S. Paralympics for more than five years and continues its support today by contributing funding for grassroots adaptive sports programs in communities around the U.S.

About Sports Minneapolis:

Sports Minneapolis, powered by Meet Minneapolis, works to recruit, enhance and produce sporting events in the Minneapolis area for the benefit of our community. We do this by partnering with event rights holders to assist them with venue selection, event services, volunteer identification, marketing and promotional support, and on-site recognition opportunities in order to ensure a successful event. For more information, visit www.sportsminneapolis.org.

About U.S. Paralympics:

U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the Paralympic sports movement and to promoting excellence in the lives of persons with physical and visual disabilities. Visit the U.S. Paralympics website at usparalympics.org. Visit the U.S. Paralympics Gateway to Gold website at GatewayToGold.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Matt Laible, Communications and Public Relations Manager 612.767.8220, mattl@minneapolis.org

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