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A
very special victory! ‘I am
going mad with joy!’
A
very special victory! Each time they saw the Pakistan flag waving in the air or the country’s name being called out, the athletics participating in the Special Olympics in Athens, cheered and roared, shouting Pakistan Zindabad till their throats went dry - for it was the love of the country which made them struggle against all odds, put up a fierce fight and return home triumphantly by clinching 56 medals. And they made Pakistan proud at the right time. When the country is battling against militancy and terrorism, the masses are crippled by inflation and electricity breakdowns, and news of violence is clogging the newspapers and channels, these intellectually challenged children have given the people a reason to smile. At the Special Olympics Pakistan office located in Karachi, the excited and energetic athletics, dressed in track suits of green and white hues, are gathered, a day before they are to be honoured by the prime minister in Islamabad. Clinging to their medals - their most prized possession - every athlete has a victory tale to share. Amongst them is 16-year-old Sana Javed, who bagged a gold in the five kilometres cycling event, and silver in the one km event. “I am so happy that I made Pakistan happy,” she grinned. Preparing for the last two years, Javed said that her inner voice told her that she would be able to win the event. She also has the honour of clinching gold in last year’s National Games held in Lahore. Sitting beside Sana, her brother, Mohammad Waqas, is happy that his only sister won a gold, which remains a distant dream for many athletes. Swimmer Farah Farooq Vohra has also made the country proud. She represented Pakistan in the games by being a torch-bearer in the opening ceremony. Recalling the priceless moment, Vohra narrates, “They announced ‘Farah Farooq, take the torch’”. Suffering from Down’s syndrome, Vohra says that she was delighted to carry the torch. “My sister and mother were also there, and saw me carry the torch. Gathering strength and pushing aside my fear, I carried it.” The swimmer, who came fourth in the backstroke swimming event, and seventh in freestyle, wants to be a teacher in the future. The 82-member contingent
from Pakistan comprising 59 athletes participated in the Special Olympics
games in Athens held from June 25 to July 4. Competing against 180 countries,
and around 7,500 athletes, the Pakistanis participated in eight games of
athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, bocce, cycling, football and
table tennis, and won 17 gold, 25 silver and 14 bronze medals. Talking to Kolachi, Shahida Hyder, the Regional Director of the SOP, said that the competition has been a big boost for the children, who have not only emerged as champions, but have become extremely confident after the tournament. “The children are so happy. Many of them were so shy, and did not talk much but after the event, they seem more confident, independent, and smart. I see a very positive change in them.” Hyder who was part of the contingent, said that the Special Olympics were held in an entirely different world, where emotions ran high. “I can’t explain it properly in words. All the athletes were bonded by love, patriotism and unity. It was a beautiful atmosphere, and the children were anxious, tensed, happy and sad. Normal people get so scared about participating in huge events, and entering stadiums, but I am so proud these children carried themselves off quite well. They even fought and defeated athletes from countries such as the USA.” For the athletes participating, the games meant a lot. Nineteen-year-old Junaid Ahmed Kalwar, who wore a silver medal for coming in second in the basketball games, is a tad disappointed that his team lost to India. “They were all taller than us, and played well. But I am upset because I wanted to beat them and make Pakistan proud,” said Kalwar. Nonetheless, he enjoyed the trip, saying that people supported and appreciated them immensely. “Besides going to Athens is a big, big thing,” he says. Next time, Kalwar wants to participate in a cricket event. “Discipline is above everything, and we behaved well,” adding that he wants to be a coach in the future. Another basketball player, Umair Ahmed, is honoured that he represented the country. “I wore a Sindhi Topi and Ajrak in the opening ceremony. It was fun. There were songs blaring and fireworks in the air, and so many people were there,” he smiled. Ahmed has been associated with the SOP since the last eight to nine years, and has won medals in the National and Sindh games, playing football and cycling before trying his luck at basketball. “We raised so many slogans in favour of Pakistan. I have got a sore throat. I did not want to come back. We went to Mc Donalds and did shopping there which I enjoyed.” Ahmed, whose favourite sportsperson is Shahid Afridi, said that he used to get nervous before a match but would not let that nervousness overcome him, “I kept that inside me, and gave it my best shot,” proudly showing the silver medal dangling around his neck. His jubilant mother Mrs
Mehreen Masood arranged a party on his return. “People say that such
children can’t do anything, but they are just like normal children. They
need love.” Masood goes on to say that sports have played a huge role in
shaping Ahmed’s life. “He has become very confident. Previously, he was
not comfortable with guests, and would shy away from them and would not come
out from his room. But now he is talking a lot, and expresses his
emotions,” she said. However, parents feel that the special children who have done so well have been grossly neglected by society, especially by the government. Mother of an athlete, Mrs. Raees asked that why not a single government official came to welcome the children at the Karachi Airport. “The Special Olympics was such a huge platform for our children, and they all did exceptionally well. However, no one from the government supported them. Why has society drawn a line against these children and others like them?” She continues to add that when athletes like Naseem Hameed, who won a gold medal to South Asia’s fastest sprinter, came back to the country, people thronged the airport, and ministers showered their praises and supported her immensely. But for these children, nothing is being done. “Are they not children or citizens of the country? Our children need jobs, and the government should make sure that the future of these children is secured.” But the children, oblivious to the problems, seemed content about their trip. Taiba Raees, another fifth grader, who was in the basketball team, said that she will always remember the trip. “I was sharing a room with a girl from Lahore. We had a lot of fun. I shopped and got t-shirts that I saw on the trip.” Raees wants to play cricket in the Olympics in the future. Iqra Batool, another member of the women’s baskbetball team recalls the moment when they entered the stadium and were quiet and was nervous and scared. “We were nervous,” this is the second time she has participated in the Special Olympics, and vividly remembers the previous trip to China as she had made many friends. “We used to get up as early as 5:00 in the morning to practice, but I am glad we got a medal. Though we couldn’t beat Turkey in the final, we beat them earlier in the competition,” she smiled. *The 82-member contingent from Pakistan comprising 59 athletes participated in the Special Olympics games in Athens held from June 25 to July 4. *Competing against 180 countries, and around 7,500 athletes, the Pakistanis participated in eight games of athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, bocce, cycling, football and table tennis. *The participants have won 17 gold, 25 silver and 14 bronze medals for the country. ‘I am
going mad with joy!’ The 26-year-old
intellectually challenged boy, recently came home after participating in the
Special Olympics held in Athens. Being part of the 82- member contingent
representing the country, Leghari won a gold medal in doubles, silver in
singles and bronze in the team event of Bocce - a ball sport for low ability
athletes. The four athletes, who participated in this game, grabbed 10 medals
in all. “I am so happy, I am going mad with joy,” he said, recalling the day when on the last day of the tournament, he along with another Pakistani athlete, Abdul Nasir, defeated athletes from the US. “My father was also there. When they announced me as the winner, I raised my fist in victory, and started crying. I hugged my coach and then my father,” he said, his eyes brimming with tears of joy. And why did victory mean so much for Leghari? To this, he says, “If I had not gotten the gold, I would have had embarrassed my country and family. Winning was important for my country because whenever they would announce my name in the tournament, they would say, ‘Zulfiqar Ali Leghari from Pakistan’, attaching Pakistan with my name. I was there because of Pakistan.” His mother piped in and said, “My son was so upset when he got a bronze earlier in the tournament. He was crying on the phone when he told me the news, and persisted on getting a gold medal. I started praying for my son’s victory then.” The upset but determined
Leghari, stopped eating and focused only on how to make his country proud and
he made his dream come true eventually. Talking about his trip, Leghari found Athens to be a lot like Karachi except for the climate. “I liked my trip. However, I missed my mother. I enjoyed defeating the US because there is always a tussle going on between us and them, and I was happy that they lost,” he joked. Preparing for the big event for the last one year, Leghari has been interested in sports since he was very young. “I have been playing football in my block of apartments since I was a child. I like to play as the defender,” he grinned. Studying in a school for special children, Leghari loves to watch movies and use the Internet. Now that Leghari has accomplished the feat of winning laurels for the country in the form of a gold medal, he wants to find a job and work. “He gets depressed and keeps on asking when he will start working. He is very independent and wants to settle down. I wish he finds a good job soon,” his mother hoped, adding that children like them should be encouraged and appreciated for playing a positive role in society. – RA
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