SINGAPORE: Singapore’s para-athletes juggle disabilities and a rigorous training schedule to represent the nation at international competitions.
As they prepare to hopefully bring home sporting glory at the Paris Games that begins on Wednesday (Aug 28), the national body that represents them has called for more recognition and support - similar to that given to Olympic athletes.
“They go through the sweat, they go through the tears, they go through the tiredness. We don't see that,” said Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, president of the Singapore National Paralympic Council.
“As (the) public, we only see them for those few seconds in competition, so I really need for everyone to understand and recognise that they really have put in so much hard work.”
Their tenacity and effort are opportunities for people to reflect on themselves, she added.
“Let's have them as our inspiration. Let's have them as a role model for what excellence can look like,” she said. CNA
It is timely for the Singapore National Paralympic Council to speak up and call for more support and recognition for the para athletes. They are the people juggling with disabilities but still committed to rigorous physical training to compete internationally. It requires a lot of discipline, mental fitness, endurance for pain and stress while training silently and quietly on their own. Even normal athletes would have problems to want to train continuously, to discipline themselves to give up other pursuits and pleasures just to train rigorously, not a walk in the park, not a slow walk, but real training to be better than the best in the world. It demands a lot more than just to live and be alive.
And don't forget the pain, the torn muscles, stresses on the body and bones and the need to consume medicines and supplements to keep the body and muscles in prime conditions. These cost a lot of money as well and eat up a lot of the spare funds of the para athletes, money needed on top of the normal food expenses.
In a similar way, the seniors, the masters, some in their 70s and 80s, are also fighting against nature and the biological clock, to keep their bodies in top forms to compete with their peers in international competition. The ageing process spares no one and the more advanced in age, the wear and tear would only get worse. Many seniors are in no better condition than some para athletes and are struggling to keep their body good enough to stay competitive, and needed supplements, pain killers, balms, pills etc etc to stay on fighting and running. At 70s or 80s, to be able to run, sprint, jump etc etc is already a winner.
Would the govt bodies also be supportive to the seniors and masters and offer a little assistance to help them in keeping fit, in a condition to engage in competitive sports? Not necessary the kind and scale of support for the Olympians or ParaOlymians, just some token of support and recognition would be greatly appreciated. So far there is very little or negligible support for the seniors and masters despite making many appeals to the authorities. The only thing heard is about encouraging the seniors to keep fit, free entry to gyms and swimming pools by ActiveSG.
More concrete support, a little financial assistance would be most welcomed. Competing overseas in international meets is not free and can be financially demanding to the seniors and masters that have no income.
So, while the authorities are looking at the para athletes, would they also take a second look at the seniors and masters to see if they could do something for them at the same time? Show a little real appreciation for the seniors and the masters.
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