Local Veteran Competes in National Veterans Wheelchair Games

click on photo to enlarge

       Anchorage, Alaska. -- July 5,2006 -- Johnny Williams, Jr., a disabled Army veteran from Tomah, Wis., is competing in the 26th National Veterans Wheelchair Games, being held through July 8 in Anchorage, Alaska. With more than 550 athletes from 46 states, Puerto Rico and Great Britain, this is the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world. All athletes are military veterans who use wheelchairs due to spinal cord injuries, certain neurological conditions, orthopedic amputations or other disabilities. Williams, 40, is a paraplegic. He is currently receiving care at the VA medical facility in Tomah, Wis.

       Williams is competing in the following events:

field - shot
field - discus
field - javelin
bowling (manual)
weightlifting

       “Competing in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games is a great honor," said Williams. "When I became paralyzed I was depressed and thought my life was over. The Games woke me up and made me realize that my life wasn’t over and that added to my self-esteem and confidence. Now, I actually feel I can accomplish something. Visiting Alaska is a dream and an opportunity of a lifetime. I have looked forward to my second time competing in the Games and also seeing Alaska.”

       Athletes in the Games compete within three divisions -- Masters (over age 40), Novice (first-time competitors in the Games), and Open (all others, or those who chose to compete in this category). They also compete within classes according to the level of their physical ability, with three quadriplegic-level classes (IA, IB, and IC), and four paraplegic-level or amputee classes (II, III, IV, and V). Williams competes as a Class IV in the Open division.

       The Games are presented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), and are hosted this year by the Alaska VA Healthcare System and Regional Office and the Paralyzed Veterans of America Northwest Chapter. Funded with help from a host of corporations and service organizations, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games are a showcase for the benefit of sports rehabilitative programs, and the remarkable athletic abilities and personal achievements of our nation's disabled veterans.

Note to Editor:
If you would like to interview Williams, he can be reached after July 10 at (608) 374-4618. For more information about the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, contact Kim Byers, NVWG Public Affairs Coordinator at (734) 761-7824. (Above information regarding military service and disability provided by veteran.)