IF cricket gets a bit tiring with all its unpredictable ups and downs, spare some time to catch up on the proud triumphs Pakistani athletes have been scoring in the Special Olympics. For more than two decades, now, Pakistan’s athletes participating in this event have been bringing home a rich haul of medals and this year too they have already won five medals as the games draw to a close. The event features athletes with intellectual disabilities such as autism who go through a rigorous training regimen lasting six months, during which they spend time away from the families for the first time and are taught the sport they will be competing in as well as basic activities of everyday life like getting dressed and washing hands. For the athletes themselves, the training and the opportunity to compete are often life-changing experiences that give them confidence.

The programme to select and groom special athletes from Pakistan is run by a dedicated core of professionals from the Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP) that has been training and preparing Pakistani athletes to participate in the global event for almost 20 years now. In one case, for instance, the 27-year-old swimmer Asim Zar used to be afraid of dipping his feet in the water at the start of his training, according to his parents. This year he bagged a gold medal in the 100m freestyle event, making his parents and his country proud. The shining confidence with which these young Pakistanis have overcome enormous odds to win their triumphs is a source of inspiration for the entire country. They deserve to be received as heroes upon their return. The devotion with which the team at SOP has worked to groom these athletes and win these medals for Pakistan at an international sports event is also an inspiring example of what a small team of dedicated people can accomplish. Well done team Pakistan and welcome back!

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2015

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