November 03, 2007

The 12th Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Shanghai, China, from 2-11 October wasa an exciting and entertaining show to encourage the intellectually disabled people who have got tremendous energy and willpower. The mentally challenged athletes were the real heroes of the show. The event provided the need for more sports facilities, vocational training, employment, health and education services for them.

Special Olympics started in 1960 and since then every year, this platform provides a number of athletes the opportunity to show their sporty skills and boost their confidence. For the first time, the event was held in Asia and for the second time hosted outside the United States. The Special Olympics is an international organisation dedicated to empowering individuals — including children — with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition.

Although Special Olympics encourage athletes to perform competitively, the official Athlete’s Oath encourages sportsmanship and applauds effort: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

The opening ceremony was visually striking with dazzling lightning, fireworks and overwhelming music. The gala show was divided into four chapters of performance, characterised apiece by the four themes of the Special Olympics spirit, namely courage, sharing, skill and joy. A drum show which expressed the Special Olympics spirit of harmony and embrace called “Harmony: Hearts Beating as One”, performed by actors with intellectual disabilities and performances titled dragon boat, dragon-lion etc were mesmerising and hypnotised spectators.

A record participation had been witnessed this time. Almost 7,291 athletes (with the eldest aged 69 and the youngest at eight) from 164 countries and regions actively participated to compete in 21 medal sports and four demonstration competitions. The event also welcomed 2,302 trainers, 40,000 volunteers, 3,500 event officials and thousands of family members of the intellectually impaired athletes, celebrities, VIPs, spectators and journalists from every continent.

Special Olympics athletes of all ability levels competed in 25 different Olympic-type and demonstration sports: aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, cricket, cycling, dragon boat racing, equestrian, football (Soccer), golf, gymnastics, judo, kayaking, lion dancing, power lifting, roller skating, sailing, softball, table tennis, team handball, tennis and volleyball, as well as Motor Activities Training Programme.

The performance of both Pakistani male and female athletes was outstanding and in all they won 87 medals for the country — 21 gold, 21 silver and 45 bronze from eight of the nine disciplines. Soccer was the only exception as the team finished fourth and could not win the medal.

In cycling, Iqra Batool bagged a gold and two bronze medals, Tayyaba Fatima won one silver and bronze, Umair Sarwar earned three silver and Waqas Ali finished fourth.

In Badminton double, singles and mixed doubles events Zubi, Shehla Naz, Imran Ahmed and Waqas Ahmed bagged two gold, three silver and three bronze. In Bocce team events, Anwar, Ahmed, Ayesha Kanwal and Ayesha Irshad won four gold, two silver and six bronze.

In athletics (soft ball throw — an exclusive athletics event for special children, long jump and 100 metres), Sundus Hameed, Zehra Abbasi, Asad Kazmi, Nowzira Fatima, Bushra Batool, Sumira Shafqat, Kiran, Shahid Hussain, Kashif Nazir, Asim Zar and Hussain Subhani performed remarkably and grabbed two gold, three silver and three bronze.

In table tennis, Zehra Abbasi, Nadia Nazir, Sheraz Hussain and Faisal Mehmood amassed three gold, two silver and two bronze. In Tennis, single, double and individual skills Najma Vohra, Sana Sayyed, Kaleem Khan and Rizwan Sheikh captured five gold, three silver and five bronze for Pakistan.

In basket ball, girls’ team of Pakistan beat China 15-11 and won bronze for the home and in boys event Pakistan beat India 14-8 and claimed a bronze.

Bilal Khan, Jasmin Shariff, Kainyat Riaz and Touqeer Ahmed clinched seven gold, one silver and three bronze for Aquatics (swimming — 4 x25 metres relay, 25 metres back stroke and 25 metres free style).

In carving this remarkable result Pakistan’s Special Olympics squad could not be challenged by any other team during this Summer Olympics and made their mark in the tracks and fields.

 

Bringing happiness to special children

“The spirit of young people to serve the special children is a wonderful phenomenon of our society.” This was stated by Sister Rooth, Principal of Darul Sakoon at the Eid Milan party, organised by Sehar Foundation, an NGO working for the welfare of special children. Little girls wearing colourful bangles presented tableaux and sang songs in their beautiful voice. The event was superb as the organisers worked very hard to bring happiness in the lives of those children who are deprived of basic pleasures of life. While addressing the guests, Mr Rafiq Shah, Vice Chairman of Sehar Foundation said: “People with disabilities should not be discriminated as they are also among us and our little efforts can not only boost their confidence but will make them able to live their lives on their own.” The children were served cakes, biscuits, toffees and juices.