The Hindu : Karnataka News : ‘I’m a champion, I will prove it in China’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 21, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

‘I’m a champion, I will prove it in China’

Sudipto Mondal

Special Olympics participants felicitated in Mangalore

— Photo : R. Eswarraj

IN GOOD SPIRITS: The Karnataka contingent for the Special Olympics World Games at a hotel after a farewell ceremony in Mangalore.

Mangalore: “I am a champion. I will prove it in China,” said Raghunath (20) one of the two powerlifters from the State who will represent the country at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held in Shanghai, China.

Raghunath and 13 mentally challenged athletes from the State, was in the city on Wednesday to attend a felicitation ceremony organised for the Karnataka contingent by the Dakshina Kannada Special Teachers Association for the Mentally Challenged.

These are the people with a variety of mental disabilities ranging from Down’s syndrome, Autism and Spastic disorders, yet they have managed to not only take part in athletics and complex team sports but also give athletes a run for their money.

Such is the level of their confidence that A.S. Chetan (20), who is part of the badminton team, says, “I have defeated many players at the Cosmopolitan Club in Bangalore. I am sure I can defeat professional players too.” Arun Phillip (18), a cyclist, is, however, circumspect and when asked whether he will win at the Special Olympics, he says: “Of course.”

Swimming coach Bharathi Kothari pointed out that it is unfair to compare these athletes with other athletes and said, “These athletes can usually concentrate better… when they are focussed on one task it is sometimes impossible to distract them. This allows them to harness the hidden reserves of energy that other athletes seldom manage to exploit.”

Basketball coach and team coordinator Thankam Jayachandran says, “It is a joy to coach these athletes… they are obedient and their sincerity is overwhelming.”

Ms. Kothari adds that the only stumbling block is that mentally challenged athletes are prone to sudden mood swings and this affects their performance.

The team, coaches and the athletes’ parents were in an upbeat mood at their hotel after the felicitation ceremony earlier in the day. However, Shivakumar A., father of Chetan, says, “The attention is good while it lasts but participating in the Special Olympics is not going to radically change the athletes’ life. In other countries, intellectually challenged people are employed in small jobs but here there is nothing of the sort.”

An infectious air of exhilaration pervaded the corridors of the hotel as the athletes participated in the team building games in the evening. As the excitement died down and the athletes retreated to their rooms, Ms. Kothari, who stayed back for a while in the lobby, said, “It is all great that they are going to China, it will be great fun but what will happen to them once they come back?”

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