adminSince 1999, the Federal Police High-Performance Sports Project has been helping put Germany’s top performers on the podium in the Olympic sports of rowing, shooting, archery, athletics, judo, cycling and canoeing.
The scheme lets sportsmen and women train part-time as police officers while allowing them to focus on preparing and competing in their individual sports.
Once their police training is complete, athletes on the scheme claim a regular officer’s salary for light duties and only take up full-time service once their competitive career is over or if they drop out of top-level sport.
Athletes must be considered world-class by their sport’s governing body in Germany in order to join the scheme.
Since it was founded, the project has yielded more than 50 medals at world championships and claimed five Olympic medals, two silvers and three bronze with only a
gold missing.
The project has its training centre in Keinbaum, near Berlin, where the part-time officers spend four months each year receiving their police training alongside putting in hard hours on their different sports using the impressive facilities.
With 76 athletes currently on the scheme, around 30 are expected to take part in the London Games and several have a realistic chance of a medal.
One of the youngest potential medalists is 21-year-old world cycling champion and record holder Kristina Vogel, who won the team sprint gold at the Track World Championships in Melbourne in April.
“The support the scheme provides means a lot to me,” Vogel, who along with partner Miriam Welte also set the team sprint world record in Melbourne, said.
“It has allowed me to concentrate and target my Olympic preparations for the last two years.
“It frees up the mind so you can focus on your sport, but after the Olympics I am looking forward to spending a little more time in the uniform.” — AFP.
Online Reporter