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NOW WE HAVE JUST 95 DAYS TO GO BEFORE THE SUMMER OLYMPICS IN PARIS, AND ATHLETES ARE ALREADY HARD AT WORK FOR THE GAMES. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT TEN. I’M GUY RAWLINGS CHARI IS OFF TONIGHT. ATHLETES AROUND THE WORLD HOPING TO TAKE HOME GOLD DURING THE OLYMPIC GAMES. BUT IT’S NOT SOMETHING THEY’RE WORKING TOWARDS ALONE. �������� 13 JARVIS ROBERTSON LIVE IN LOCAL FOR US TONIGHT AFTER SPEAKING WITH A PARALYMPIC TRAINER WHO SAYS THERE’S SO MUCH MORE ATHLETES HAVE TO ENDURE FOR A MOMENT LIKE THIS AND THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT, GUY. NOW WE KNOW THAT IT TAKES A LOT OF COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO BECOME AN OLYMPIC FINAL. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ATHLETES AND THE TRAINERS, THEY HAVE TO CREATE THIS SPECIAL BOND THAT CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP. PARDONED. I KNOW YOU GOT MORE THAN THAT. COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON. BUT IT’S WORK THAT I ENJOY. IT’S WORK I’VE DEVOTED MYSELF TO. READY? NO. GREAT. LET’S GET IT RIGHT. AN ALBINO IS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE USA WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TEAM. IT’S A SPECIAL TIME AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE PARALYMPIC GAMES. YOUR GOAL IS TO ALWAYS PUSH A SET OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ALREADY BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD EVEN FURTHER, AND YOU HAVE TO GET THEM TO THAT POINT AS A TRAINER, IT’S HIS JOB TO UNDERSTAND THE TOTAL ATHLETE, SOMETHING THAT GOES INTO TRAINING THAT I THINK IS REALLY VALUABLE IS THE ASPECT OF MEETING YOUR ATHLETES WHERE THEY ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT BOTH THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, AND UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE THEY PLAY ON THE TEAM, ESPECIALLY IN A SPORT THAT’S AS DIVERSE AS WHEELCHAIR RUGBY, WHICH IS SOMETHING HE ENJOYS AND IS HIGHLY DEVOTED TO, HE SAYS. BECOMING A PARALYMPIAN ISN’T A BREEZE BY FAR. UNDERSTANDING THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS THAT LEAD TO THE GRANDEST STAGE OF THEM ALL. YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT ON TEAMS. YOU HAVE TO MEET. YOU HAVE TO MEET AND WIN AT QUALIFYING TOURNAMENTS. IT’S A VERY LONG ROAD. ALBINO SAYS THE TEAM SPENDS ABOUT TWO HOURS IN THE WEIGHT ROOM, BUT WHEN THEY’RE IN THE WHEELCHAIR HOURS, THEIR PRACTICE TIME, THEIR PRACTICES CAN RUN ANYWHERE FROM TWO HOURS TO EVEN THREE AND FOUR HOURS, DEPENDING ON WHICH, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY LIVE. WE INTRODUCE YOU TO ZION REDDINGTON. LAST WEEK. HE’S COMPETING FOR A SPOT ON TEAM USA. HE APPRECIATES THE TOUGHNESS OF HIS COACH DURING TRAINING. I MEAN, YOU LOVE HIM BECAUSE THEY DO THEIR JOB, AND YOU HATE THEM BECAUSE THEY DO THEIR JOB. UM, BUT IT’S IT’S A VERY FUNCTIONAL AND ALSO GOOD ENVIRONMENT OF A RELATIONSHIP. WHILE FORMAL TRAINING AND PRACTICE MAY BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HOURS A DAY, IT’S ALSO ABOUT WHAT ATHLETES DO AROUND THE CLOCK. THERE HAVE BEEN ATHLETES WHO HAVE WORKED QUITE LITERALLY THEIR WHOLE LIFE TO GET TO THIS OPPORTUNITY. NOW, BEANO TOLD ME THAT THERE WILL BE 16 MEMBERS ON THE USA WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TEAM, 12 OF THEM WILL COMPETE IN EACH COMPETITION. AS FOR THE PARALYMPIC GAMES, THEY ARE SET TO START AUGUST 28TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 8TH. LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM FOR YOU TONIGHT. I’M JARVIS ROBERTSON