Omar Haddad, 22, from Widnes is training hard to get to the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens. These games are billed as a world stage for athletes who struggle to defend their special abilities in the modern world, giving them a chance to showcase their skills.
Omar competes in the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics event. This involves learning complicated routines using at least six different apparatus. Because he has Down’s Syndrome it takes specialised instruction to help him remember the movements, for this he trains four times a week at the Cheshire Academy in Crewe.
"Omar has been a keen gymnast since he was about six years old," says his mother, Liz. "All the family are sporty – his brothers and sisters have been involved with competitive swimming and trampolining so it’s natural for Omar to want to excel in that area."
It’s a huge financial commitment to get Omar to Athens and Liz turned to CNP Professional, a leading sport supplement supplier based in Hyde, Cheshire for sponsorship. Kerry Kayes, founder of CNP visited Omar and Liz at the Academy and immediately offered them some financial backing and nutritional advice.
"I was very impressed by the work of the Cheshire Academy," says Kayes. "Omar is a gifted gymnast so I was only too happy to help him both financially and with nutritional advice. It is really important to him and to his family for him to shine at Athens in 2011.
"I explained to Liz that what the body needs to build up lean muscle tissue is a high protein diet. At 5ft 4ins Omar is very trim and neat but needs to increase his strength for apparatus work. High protein supplements such as Pro Flapjacks can really help him achieve his maximum performance potential."
Omar also competes in Sports Acrobatics. He does a routine with Vicky Perez who is wheelchair-bound and profoundly deaf. They were National Champions last year and were undefeated earlier this year to retain their National title.
Anyone wanting to donate to Omar Haddad’s Athens 2011 fund should contact The Cheshire Academy on 01270 255355.
CNP Professional is one of the UK’s leading sports nutrition specialist companies. For more information visit www.cnpprofessional.co.uk, or call +44 (0) 161 368 0942 for sports nutrition advice and +44 (0) 161 368 3850 for sales.
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Notes for editors
CNP Professional is a leading supplier of sports nutrition supplements including protein shakes, protein bars, creatine supplements, meal replacements, mass gainers, weight loss supplements and post work out shakes, all designed for the ultimate in sports nutrition.
Kerry Kayes, the founder of CNP Professional, is a former national bodybuilding champion. He has been involved in sports nutrition for many years and his dietary expertise has established him as ‘the man in the know’ to sportspeople worldwide. He advises athletes as varied as premier league footballers, rugby clubs, triathletes, round the world yachting teams, runners, boxers, cyclists and motor sports teams.
CNP Professional supplements are carefully formulated to ensure that the body is able to make best use of the nutrients. Unlike many nutritional supplements, CNP Professional’s products are easy to drink.
There are several articles explaining protein nutrition supplements on the CNP website – go to the home page and click on ‘nutrition’ under the articles section.