Saudi Arabia
Training Camp 1st October – 9th October
Paul Hunt and Iftakhar Hussian had a call from John Bailey
to see if we would be willing to travel to Saudi Arabia for some warm weather
training and a little coaching, we both jumped at the chance. So on the 1st
October we made the long journey to the Middle East. We arrived at around 12am
local time it was 32 degrees!! We both thought if it is that hot at 12am
what’s it going to be like 12pm.
So the next morning we woke at 5am and went straight out
training for a nice easy session. It was the best time of the day, not too hot,
but still around 28 degrees and watching the sun come up over the horizon was
brill.
Later that day we met the Saudi Para Olympic athletes, they made us feel very welcome.
The Saudis were preparing for the Gulf Games in the U A .E,
which took place this week (10th Ocober-17th October) this event was
the qualifiers for Athens 2004.
Our main role was to coach them how to push a racing chair,
how to set out programmes, maintain there chair and rebuilding gloves.
They only train 4 weeks before any major championships,
which we think is really strange.
Two days after we arrived the Saudis started back training
after a little rest. The training was an experience in its self; we would warm
them 15-20mins and suddenly we had stop while they pray, after that we had go
through warm up again! But you have to respect that while you are in there
country.
On Monday night we were invited to an Arabic party, oh my
life it’s not like our party’s, there was music, no beer and no girls!! We
sat down and had a glass of Arabic tea, mint flavor, very sweet though, shortly
after we had some food. There were no knives or folks, who had eat with your
right hand only, I am not going to explain but you can imagine why, the toilet
that’s all I am going to say! for lunch we had lamb and rice on massive plate,
we all tucked in except Iffy who is vegetarian. After a few minutes I asked one
of the athletes what something was on the plate, I wished I never now it was
only the lambs head, Iffys face went whiter and whiter and then green! But he
was feeling not good anyway and this made him even worse, he went for little
push somewhere. I nearly followed him!
On Tuesday we invited to another party at Peter Wardell he works for British Aerospace, but this time everything was English to the delight of Iffy. Food was great lots of vegetarian stuff, and met some nice people. It was nice to see a few ladies first time in 7 days not good!
It was interesting speaking to the ladies because some of them have lived there for years and their life style is so different to men who live there and they are rated second class, there can’t show there face, wear black clothes, can’t drive and have to go in a different queues at shops and fast food restaurants.
Wednesday was our last day, got up for training for the last time. We trained on our own because the Saudis had a time trial competition on the night so they were in bed resting.
So on the night we had to prepare them for competition, they do pretty well, bearing in mind they only had three weeks training. One T53 athlete has a great chance of making it to Athens in done 200m in around 29secs. They were all happy with their efforts and looking forward to the Gulf Games.
Well after the time trial we had pack up and going to the airport, I must say we both had a great time and it was a great experience. Thanks to John Bailey and Peter Wardell at British Aerospace.