Claudia Bitzer : ‘one thing’ – Paralympics participants for ALLIANZ Global Airport campaign

Christian SCHMIDT photographed the new Global Airport campaign for ALLIANZ insurance. For the ‘one thing’ campaign, the focus is on people that achieve extraordinary things.

Christian had the opportunity of photographing exceptional people in front of his camera, among them Formula 1 pilot Nico Rosberg or Allianz executive Prof. Dr. Heise.

But especially several Paralympics participants such as wheelchair world record holder Marcel Hug from Switzerland or sprinter Katrin Green, who is going to defend her title in London over 200 metres, make these pictures stand out.

The Paralympics are jointly organised with the Olympic games since 1992 and take place three weeks after the Olympics in the same arenas. At the summer Paralympics as many as 4200 athletes from almost 170 countries compete for the 500 gold medals in 20 disciplines. Mentally handicapped athletes are represented in three disciplines.

The Brits are intending to celebrate the Paralympics just as much as the Olympic games; especially since the 14th summer Paralympics are finally returning to their place of origin after 60 years. The first sporting competitions for people who became handicapped during WWII were organised in 1948. And in 2012 many of the Paralympic contestants are war veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan.