As over 4,000 athletes from around the world have converged on Paris, France for the 2024 Paralympics a Mountain Home doctor is doing her part to keep Team USA in top shape.
Dr. Heather Hammonds, a sports medicine specialist at Restore Sports Medicine in Mountain Home, is working and living at the Olympic Village in Paris for the games. Dr. Hammonds has worked with athletes of all ages and levels in her career including multiple NCAA Divisions, professionals and now Olympians. After completing a rotation at the US Olympics and Paralympics Headquarters in Colorado Springs she was selected by committee to fulfill the role as a doctor for the team.
Arriving in Paris a week before the opening of the Olympics on Wednesday, Dr. Hammonds has been busy acclimating to the Olympic Village and working her daily shifts in the clinics.
Dr. Hammonds spoke with KTLO’s Heather Loftis via telephone from Paris and she says following the opening ceremonies the smell of French bread in the air is really making the experience real.
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When asked about the accommodations Dr. Hammonds says the famed cardboard beds are real in the village.
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Working in the clinics meeting athletes from around the world she is finding inspiration in the stories she encounters.
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Dr. Hammonds is working closely with the wheelchair rugby and sitting volleyball teams and is enjoying watching them compete as they battle it out with other countries to take gold for Team USA.
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Although she stays busy with her work, Dr. Hammonds is making sure to make time for her passion for running in the iconic city for her daily workouts. She is expected to continue in Paris through early September before making her return to Mountain Home to continue serving the athletes and patients locally with her world class level of care.
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