Special Olympians return home with heads held high
Athletes managed to bag 35 medals at the World Games in Los Angeles
Pakistan claimed 15 gold, 12 silver and eight bronze medals in a competition featuring 6,500 athletes from 177 countries around the world. PHOTO COURTESY: SPECIAL OLYMPICS ASSOCIATION
KARACHI:
With smiling faces and the belief of a job well done, Pakistan’s special Olympians returned to the country on Wednesday after a successful run at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, which saw them bag 35 medals at the mega event.
Pakistan claimed 15 gold, 12 silver and eight bronze medals in eight disciplines in a competition featuring 6,500 athletes from 177 countries around the world.
Read: Special Olympics: Swabi’s pride bags bronze medal in USA
The 55-member contingent won medals in athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, cycling, football, table tennis and tennis, while the athletes in power lifting secured ribbons.
Special Olympics delegation head Ronak Lakhani, who returned to Karachi with 25 Olympians as the others had left for their respective cities, explained that the athletes had enjoyed the most success in cycling, where they won 11 medals — six gold, two silver and three bronze, followed by athletics, where the athletes managed eight medals — one gold, four silver and three bronze.
“All athletes have performed outstandingly in the summer world games, where 53 out of 55 were debutants,” said Lakhani. “However, our most successful category was cycling where our athletes bagged the most medals. Even though we managed an astounding 35 medals, the main aim was to encourage our athletes and give them the belief that they can achieve the impossible, regardless of their disabilities.”
Special Olympics Pakistan National Sports Director Arshad Javed, who travelled with the delegation for the event, was full of praise for the Olympians, stating that even though the competition was intense in this year’s games as compared to previous events, the Pakistani athletes surpassed expectations and made the country proud.
“The competition was extremely fierce this year but we did really well,” said Javed. “Even though we managed lesser medals than the 2011 Games [where we won 56], we have proven that we can compete at any level.
Read: Pakistan bags 34 medals as Special Olympics come to an end
The official lauded the winning performance of athletes participating in some of the sports for the first time. “This was the first time that Pakistan participated in the 100m swimming event and bagged gold, which is an immense achievement in itself,” said Javed. “Previously, we had only competed at the 50m event. The future for our athletes looks bright and we are looking forward to the preparations for the next event.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2015.
With smiling faces and the belief of a job well done, Pakistan’s special Olympians returned to the country on Wednesday after a successful run at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, which saw them bag 35 medals at the mega event.
Pakistan claimed 15 gold, 12 silver and eight bronze medals in eight disciplines in a competition featuring 6,500 athletes from 177 countries around the world.
Read: Special Olympics: Swabi’s pride bags bronze medal in USA
The 55-member contingent won medals in athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, cycling, football, table tennis and tennis, while the athletes in power lifting secured ribbons.
Special Olympics delegation head Ronak Lakhani, who returned to Karachi with 25 Olympians as the others had left for their respective cities, explained that the athletes had enjoyed the most success in cycling, where they won 11 medals — six gold, two silver and three bronze, followed by athletics, where the athletes managed eight medals — one gold, four silver and three bronze.
“All athletes have performed outstandingly in the summer world games, where 53 out of 55 were debutants,” said Lakhani. “However, our most successful category was cycling where our athletes bagged the most medals. Even though we managed an astounding 35 medals, the main aim was to encourage our athletes and give them the belief that they can achieve the impossible, regardless of their disabilities.”
Special Olympics Pakistan National Sports Director Arshad Javed, who travelled with the delegation for the event, was full of praise for the Olympians, stating that even though the competition was intense in this year’s games as compared to previous events, the Pakistani athletes surpassed expectations and made the country proud.
“The competition was extremely fierce this year but we did really well,” said Javed. “Even though we managed lesser medals than the 2011 Games [where we won 56], we have proven that we can compete at any level.
Read: Pakistan bags 34 medals as Special Olympics come to an end
The official lauded the winning performance of athletes participating in some of the sports for the first time. “This was the first time that Pakistan participated in the 100m swimming event and bagged gold, which is an immense achievement in itself,” said Javed. “Previously, we had only competed at the 50m event. The future for our athletes looks bright and we are looking forward to the preparations for the next event.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2015.