Vicky Tolfrey, Anthony Papathomas and Christof Leicht led the debate on topics such as Paralympic Sports Science, Paralympic Mental and Physical Health. This was followed by signing a Memorandum of Understanding between Loughborough University and the Korea Paralympic Committee, laying the foundation for future research collaborations, joint educational programmes, and research and student exchanges. The reception of the Loughborough team was fantastic, with a 2-day stay and tours given around the state-of-the-art Paralympic Icheon Training Center. There was ample opportunity to discuss with Korean Paralympic and Academic leaders in the field of Sport Science throughout the visit, and to get a feel of the professional approach to everything – ranging from the impeccable organisation of the seminar, the opportunities given to Korean people with a disability, and the standard of the training facilities built exclusively for Paralympic athletes. A well-rounded social programme gave us some further insights into Korean culture and included the opening ceremony of the National Para Games, traditional food, and a visit to a Korean Folk village museum. We came home with valuable experiences and are looking forward to the next steps we take with our new Korean friends.
You can find out more about our visit in our next biannual newsletter (Winter 2019/20). Follow us on Twitter @PHC_Lboro for all the latest updates.
Written by Christof Leicht