12 TN athletes, 5 coaches selected to represent India at Special Olympics World Games 2015
Chennai: Around 270 intellectually challenged athletes and special coaches from India are set to represent their country at the ‘Special Olympics World Games 2015’. Four vigorous camps were conducted around India to prepare the athletes for this upcoming event. Among them are 12 athletes from Tamil Nadu along with five coaches who have been selected to represent India in the World Games 2015 and will be part of the Indian contingent that is to take off to Los Angeles on July 21.
The athletes will take part in events like handball, athletics, roller skating, cycling, power lifting, unified football and various other events. All the 12 athletes who have been selected have won gold medals at the national level competition held in Delhi. Devi (12) from Madurai, a student of Class 6, is the youngest of the lot to represent Tamil Nadu. The mentally challenged kid says, “ I am very excited as I will be competing against participants from so many other nations. I shall give my best effort and try to bag a gold medal and make my country proud.”
Her guardian, Selvi says “She had started practicing roller skates from the age of nine and is extremely passionate about it. Now is her opportunity to shine for the country and i hope she does it.” Meanwhile, Salman Kabir (19) a student of class 12 in St Ebbas Matriculation HSS ( Mylapore), is highly proficient in athletics and roller skating. The boy who suffers from ADHD (Attention Deficiency & Hyper active disorder) says, “I will be participating for the cycling event in the World Games for the first time. I have previously participated in the Asia-Pacific games held in Australia but this will be even bigger and I am hopeful that I will make India proud and that is my goal in these games.”
His father Shiraj Kabir though added, “He had to take up cycling as he was informed quite late about the games by the State Olympic committee. By that time all the selections for skating and swimming and athletics were over. Else he could have gone for athletics in 500m and 200m.”
One of the coaches accompanying the participants from Tamil Nadu, K Prabhakaran said “These kids need the support as they have been putting in a lot of effort. Despite being the youngest of the lot, Devi has been practising a lot on her skates for the last six months every single day. I hope all the work pays rich dividends and we can all make India proud at the World Games.”
“The aim of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competitions in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with Intellectual Disability, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in such a big event,” said Dr J. Paul Devasagayam, the area director, Special Olympics Bharat Tamil Nadu.
