Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt, a Team USA Paralympian and Ambassador for United States Olympic Committee Receives the Amazing Mentor Award for her efforts within the Paralympic movement.
"Anjali is an amazing young woman. She has travelled to India, Ghana and was actively involved with starting the Bermuda wheelchair racing program."
- Catherine Sellers, Director, Paralympic Track & Field High Performance Director
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 3, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United States Olympic Committee recognized seven individuals and organizations with Amazing Awards, April 27-30, at the 2012 USOC Paralympic Leadership Conference presented by Deloitte in Colorado Springs, Colo. Each year, through its Amazing Awards, U.S. Paralympics recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations in six categories noting their major contributions to the Paralympic movement in the United States. Wheelchair athlete Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt, a Paralympic Medalist in Beijing and a London hopeful, was presented with the Amazing Mentor Award for her contributions to others.
Created in conjunction with the inaugural Paralympic Leadership Conference in 2008, the Amazing Awards honor those who have made a significant impact on the Paralympic Movement in the United States.
"It is a privilege for the United States Olympic Committee to recognize those who have made a commitment to promoting excellence in the lives of people with physical and visual disabilities," Charlie Huebner, USOC Chief of Paralympics said. "Every year, the Paralympic Movement gains momentum across the United States and we have our Amazing Award winners to thank. They are at the forefront of our Movement's growth on every level, from grassroots programming through international competition."
Catherine Sellers, Director, Paralympic Track and Field High Performance Director, Sport Performance and a member of the United States Olympic Committee has worked with Dr. Forber-Pratt and her coaches since Beijing gearing up for the 2012 Paralympics in London. Sellers believes she is deserving of the Amazing Mentor Award and is an excellent role model, not only as a great athlete but in academics as Forber-Pratt just completed her Ph.D. while training for the games.
"Anjali is an amazing young woman. She has travelled to India, Ghana and basically started the Bermuda Wheelchair (WC) racing team. She also does a lot of work within the US with young athletes. She developed her own coloring book on and about children with disabilities."
Forber-Pratt is humbled by the award, and feels incredibly blessed to have received the Amazing Mentor Award at the 2012 Paralympic Leadership Conference.
"With the award itself, to me it also came full circle to know that Jessica Cooper Lewis, the young Bermudian athlete that I've been mentoring, hit a London B qualification standard on Saturday night. She has come a long way and is carving her own niche, that's what mentoring is all about. Helping others to develop and achieve their own dreams. It's amazing to be a part of something bigger than yourself."
About 2012 Awards & Recipients
The award winners, along with a description of each award, are listed below.
Amazing Leader Award
The Amazing Leader Award recognizes an individual or organization whose leadership in the Paralympic movement has been transformative and who has mobilized and unified athletes, programs and organizations that improve the lives of people with physical and visual disabilities.
2012 Recipient: Pamela Redding
Amazing Sport Club Award
The Amazing Sport Club Award is designed to recognize a Paralympic Sport Club that has made amazing contributions to the Paralympic Movement. The Amazing Sport Club is amazing through innovation, amazing through impact and amazing through daily promotion of the Paralympic ideas.
2012 Recipient: Bridge II Sports (Durham, N.C.)
Amazing Investor Award
The recipient of the Amazing Investor Award is a person or organization that has been instrumental in the creation of resources in support of the Paralympic Movement.
2012 Recipients: George Puskar, Paralympic Advisory Council and Kevin D. White, Trustee, United States Olympic Foundation
Amazing Impact Award
The Amazing Impact Award recognizes a person or organization that tells the Paralympic story in an amazing manner – creating awareness and motivating people to action through words, pictures, promotions or film.
2012 Recipient: Deloitte
Amazing Mentor Award
Mentors are trusted counselors and guides; they're here to help others accomplish their dreams. The Amazing Mentor Award recognizes a Paralympic mentor – someone who has served as a role model and shared their own experiences to motivate, inspire and promote excellence in sport and in life.
2012 Recipient: Anjali Forber-Pratt, 2008 U.S. Paralympian and 2012 hopeful
Amazing Salute Award
The Amazing Salute Award is for an individual or organization that has made amazing contributions to injured military personnel. The Paralympic movement returns to its roots by recognizing those who are providing amazing services to injured members of our Armed Forces through the promotion of physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
2012 Recipient: VA Palo Alto Health Care System (Palo Alto, Calif.)
About Anjali Forber-Pratt
Anjali Forber-Pratt was introduced to the world of disabled sports at the age of 5. Currently she is ranked among the top three fastest T53 women in the world for the 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter events. She was named to her first United States Paralympic Track and Field Team in 2007 and selected to represent the United States at the ParaPan American Games in Rio de Janeiro—where she came home with two gold medals in the 100m and 200m and a bronze in the 400m. Anjali made her Paralympic Games debut in Beijing where she won bronze in the women's 400m T53 and in the women's 4x100m T53/54 relay. She is also the World and American record holder for the 200m.
Anjali's current focus is to prepare for London 2012. Paralympic Medalist Anjali Forber-Pratt became Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt earning a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Human Resource Education with a concentration in Human Resource Development. The degree was completed within the College of Education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Anjali enjoys traveling for speaking engagements around the country and volunteering with local organizations for kids with disabilities. Anjali co-authored an educational kids' coloring book about disabled sports titled, "Color Learn & Play: All About Sports for Athletes with Physical Disabilities".
Anjali loves sharing her story, helping to transform perceptions of what it means to be an individual with a disability, and helping others accept their own differences and motivate others to take action in their own lives and communities.
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