Sue Austin will perform swimming pool acrobatics in the world’s first underwater wheelchair, London, Britain – 30 Aug 2012…UK: IMAGES OUTSIDE OF PRINT NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTIONS. FEES APPLY FOR UNIQUE IPAD USE.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Freewheeling/Norman Lomax / Rex Features (1834901d)
Artist Sue Austin has created an underwater wheelchair which she will use in a series of choreographed acrobatic underwater events as part of the London 2012 Festival.
Underwater Wheelchair Display For Cultural Olympiad
An artist will perform swimming pool acrobatics in an underwater wheelchair this week as part of the Cultural Olympiad celebrations.

Sue Austin, from Devon, has been wheelchair-bound since 1996 and has invented and helped create the world’s first self-propelled underwater wheelchair with a team of diving experts.

In the lead up to the Paralympic Games Ms Austin has staged a series of stunning underwater scuba performances called ‘Creating the Spectacle!’ to show off her underwater art.

‘Creating the Spectacle!’ is part of the Cultural Olympiad celebrations and will demonstrate the incredible capabilities of the modified NHS wheelchair by weaving shapes deep in the ocean.
The chair is equipped with swimming floats, fins and two foot-controlled drive propulsion vehicles.

It will swim along mid-water in Sue’s live art events at Osprey Leisure Centre in Weymouth on 29 August to 1 September, the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Sailing events.

She will also be demonstrating what it can do at the London 2012 Festival and as well as the live events, a film of Sue’s underwater performances will be shown at Unlimited at the Southbank Centre.
Ms Austin said: “I’m thrilled that lots of people have been inspired by the project already, many of them telling me how seeing the wheelchair underwater has made them want to try it too.

“We’ve created something new and exciting and it’s really getting people talking. As a result, they’re realising that vi