MADURAI: After years of hard work and perseverance, six athletes from Madurai will represent India at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin in June 2023. To the data, the event, which takes place every four years, expanded its reach to over 6.7 million athletes and unified sports partners globally in 2019. Of this, around 2.4 million athletes and unified partners belong to the Asia-Pacific region.
According to sources, around 202 athletes will take part in the Special Olympics event that has been scheduled to take place from June 17 to June 25. "Under unified sports, 18 athletes from Tamil Nadu have been selected, including two non-disabled athletes. Out of the six athletes who have been selected for the event, five of them are from Bethshan Special School in Madurai. The students, B Nagavel (37), P Surya (19), and A Mukeshsundar (26) will participate under the futsal sports category, V Matheshbabu (21) and C Kamalesh (22) in volleyball. Meanwhile, the sixth player, K Pavithra Devi (21), who is not a part of the school, will participate in roller skating.
Speaking to TNIE, Nagavel, an athlete with an intellectual disability, says he and his companions have tirelessly practised day in and out for the event and that they hope to see victory in the Special Olympics event. Currently working as a mechanic and support staff for a private electric two-wheeler company, Nagavel says he has been practising the futsal game for the past five years.
Matheshbabu, an athlete on the autism spectrum, expressed his jubilation for participating in the Olympics with his friends and thanked his mother and coach for their relentless support. His parents say it took long years for them to realise that Mathesh is quite self-sufficient and is gifted with good memory power and communication skills. Kamalesh, another athlete on the autism spectrum, says his parents are extremely happy about him and that he has been into sports for the past 12 years. Besides volleyball, he says he is good at basketball and throwball too.
Speaking to TNIE, R Ravikumar, the principal of Bethshan Special School says providing training to students with disabilities is challenging. "For many years, we have been training these students. Besides giving them training in communication skills, we refer them to other schools for regular education based on their intellectual capabilities and interests.
Isaac, the special educator of the school and a National Olympic Coach, says the strengths and weaknesses of the students are assessed every three weeks, following which a discussion is held with their parents. "All students allowed to participate in a variety of sports while those who show ardent interest in sports will be trained accordingly," he said, adding that the students have been given training in independent survival skills.
He further says that every day players receive three-hour training sessions in the morning and in the evening. "The athletes have achieved their current form through relentless practice. After many achievements, the five athletes from Bethshan will be represented in an international tournament for the first time. All of them have completed two-level training camps, and will soon enter their third-level preparation, for which they will be travelling to Delhi on April 24, where the athletes will be guided by a new coach before taking them to the Olympics," he said, adding that the athletes have received special training in handling new situations and mingling with new people for the first time.