Polyco provides hand protection for 2012 Paralympic hopeful
One of Europe’s leading glove companies, Polyco, is lending its support to Great Britain wheelchair rugby player and 2012 Paralympics hopeful Aaron Phipps by providing him with over 120 pairs of gloves to wear in his matches and training sessions.
At the age of 15, Aaron contracted meningoccal septicaemia which lead to both of his legs being amputated as well as parts of his fingers. However, now at the age of 28, Aaron is a successful wheelchair rugby player with the 2012 Paralympics firmly in his site. Aaron comments: “I’ve been playing wheelchair rugby for over two years and simply love the sport. I mean, where else can you knock people out of wheelchairs legally! Since I started the sport it has brought a new dimension to my life, I can’t imagine not playing the game now and the people you meet along the way are fantastic.” Until recently, Aaron had always found hand protection for playing wheelchair rugby a problem, he explains: “Wheelchair rugby is a rough sport and as such is very intense on the hands, therefore good protection is vital. In the past I wore a variety of brands of builder gloves, however, the gloves did not offer the level of protection I required and in many instances were ripped apart in minutes during a match. I then came across Polyco and found a type of glove that was suitable for my requirements that included good grip and durability. Due to my hand shape I need to make a couple of alterations to the finger lengths but besides that the gloves provide the protection I need. It is nice to be able to wear hand protection that I can rely on.”
The technical & innovation team at Polyco is currently exploring options to design and manufacture gloves especially for Aaron that will fit his hand perfectly whilst still providing him with optimum protection. Sarah Bridge, Deputy Managing Director at Polyco, comments: “The battles that Aaron has had to overcome in his life are inspiring and we are delighted to be able to provide him with gloves that are suitable for his needs. After all, the last thing players need to be concerned about is whether their hand protection is adequate! We will continue to strive to make Aaron the perfect glove that will help him on his way to the 2012 Paralympics.
For more information download the full Press release here
