Atos Origin Sponsors U.S. Olympian and International Triathlon Union World Cup Champion Hunter Kemper
Leading IT Services Company and Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games Supports 2005 USOC Athlete of the Year in his Pursuit of Gold in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
Houston, Texas – June 19, 2006 – Atos Origin, a leading information technology (IT) services company and Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games, today announced plans to sponsor triathlete Hunter Kemper, the 2005 International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Cup Champion and U.S. Olympian, as he prepares to compete in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
A two-time Olympian, and 2005 United States Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year, Kemper finished ninth at the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games and 17th at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Atos Origin’s sponsorship will help enable Kemper’s continued preparation for the next Olympic Games through funding for training, competition, travel and other expenses.
“As the Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games, Atos Origin recognizes that the athletes and athletic excellence are paramount to the Olympic Spirit,” said Paul Stewart, CEO, Atos Origin North America. “Hunter Kemper is a true U.S. Olympic hero, and we’re pleased to support one of the world’s finest athletes as he trains and competes in preparation for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Of all the Olympic events, the triathlon is one of the most physically intense and attracts the most extraordinary athletes, requiring them to excel in multiple disciplines.”
Kemper is currently ranked the top triathlete in the world and is the first U.S. male to ever reach this ranking. He was recently named the 2005 U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Athlete of the Year as well as the 2005 Male Triathlete of the Year by the USOC. A three-time ITU World Cup winner and five-time U.S. Pro National Champion, Kemper was presented the Jim Thorpe All-Around Award in February of this year.
“I am delighted that Atos Origin has agreed to sponsor me through Beijing 2008 where I hope to earn a gold medal,” said Hunter Kemper. “The sponsorship from Atos Origin will enable me to focus on my training and prepare for my third Olympic Games. As an athlete, I understand the preparation that goes into success at the Games. Atos Origin prepares behind the scenes for years in advance to deliver results to the media, keep the Games secure and make sure our efforts are available to the world.”
Kemper secured his first spot on the U.S. Olympic Team as the top ranking American at the 2000 ITU World Cup in Sydney. In the summer of 2003, he became the only American triathlete to win the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At the 2003 ITU World Cup in Madrid, Spain, Kemper became the first American male triathlete to win a world cup race since 1994. A 1998 graduate of Wake Forest University, Kemper won his first Pro National Championship that year. He began participating in triathlons at the age of 10.
The Atos Origin contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the largest sports-related IT contract covering: Salt Lake City in 2002 (operating as SchlumbergerSema); Athens in 2004; Torino in 2006; Beijing in 2008; Vancouver in 2010; and London in 2012. As Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games, Atos Origin designs, builds, integrates and manages the vast IT systems that relay results, events and athlete information to spectators and media around the world. It has primary responsibility for Information Technology, relating to IT consulting, systems integration, operations management, information security and software applications development for the Olympic Games. Atos Origin has been preparing for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games since late 2004.
Editor’s Note: High resolution photos of Hunter Kemper are available for download at http://www.keeneypr.com/files/40"http://www.keeneypr.com/files/41">http://www.keeneypr.com/files/41"http://www.atosorigin.com">www.atosorigin.com.