India’s Stupendous Performance at the 2015 Special Olympics
160 countries participated in 2015, Special Olympics in Los Angeles.
275 Indian athletes from total of 6,500 athletes.
173 medals won by Indian athletes: 47 gold, 54 silver and 72 bronze.
India stood at no. 3, after US and China.
Short film highlighting India’s participation in Special Olympics selected for screening at opening ceremony.
A feat that is even more impressive in light of the fact that the infrastructure and attitude towards both disability and sport in India is – to put it mildly – backward, Indian athletes failed to advance to even close to final rounds of Olympics.
On the other hand, this is what our ‘special’ athletes achieved and we ignored them.
They played and competed against athletes from more than 160 countries, and came back with 173 medals. This was India’s incredibly joyous story from the 2015 Special Olympics, which ended on 2 August at Los Angeles, US, after a week of games.
The Special Olympics, meant for people with intellectual disabilities, have been held since 1968.
Some 6,500 athletes took part in contests ranging from weightlifting and athletics, to football and golf. India’s 173 medals put the country behind only the US and China.
The Indian contingent was made up of 275 athletes and coaches in 14 disciplines. They won 47 gold, 54 silver and 72 bronze medals. Athletics and roller skating brought in a big chunk of the medals—the roller skaters won 39 of them, including 10 gold.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian team for their triumph overseas. While the government is spending enormous money on other sports, are these words of appreciation going to remain mere words, or will there be a recognition beyond social media acknowledgement?
Some of the gold medallists include 14-year-old Ranveer Singh Saini, who was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 and picked up golf as a therapeutic tool at the age of 9. The Indian Golf Union, the apex body of the sport, backed Saini’s passion for golf, providing him with a coach and training facilities.
And while the medal tally has been impressive, it is the stories of determination and grit that stand out the most.
Here are some pictures of their victorious home coming.
The Special Olympics athlete oath is a very inspiring one. It says – “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
They will continue to be brave, but when will we learn to appreciate?
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)