|
Gold is My Goal
Talking with Riska Feryani Ciptaningrum of Special Olympics Indonesia, one would quickly get the impression that she is a humble, shy but determined girl. Indeed, she says,” I just want gold [medal to take home].” While her teammates are busy buying gifts to take home, she held onto her money, thinking that gold was the best gift. That is her great dream, to win the medal in her favorite sport, table tennis.
At the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, Riska is competing in singles, doubles, and mixed double in table tennis. She has been training and competing in the sport for more than five years; during that time she has competed at regional and national Special Olympics competitions, including the 2002 and 2006 Special Olympics Indonesia National Games. “Six medals!” she says proudly about her success at those Games.
 |
Riska's smiles express her determination, cheerfulness and optimism.
| Riska, 9, does not have many hobbies. She has finished her high school education at a school for people with intellectual disabilities, and now she stays at home. Her time is spent doing housework, such as washing clothes and sweeping the floor while her parents are at work. Her father is a government official and her mother works for a private company. Three times a week, she goes to the gym to practice table tennis. Sometimes she watches television in her spare time.
Riska doesn’t talk much, but her smiles say a lot, expressing her determination, cheerfulness and optimism. Her coach, Sumaryanti, says that while Riska may lack confidence in some aspects of her life, she is very different when playing table tennis, the activity through which she can best express herself and develop fully. Seemingly, table tennis has become her world, and her dream. “Someday I want to be a table tennis coach,” she said confidently. And Special Olympics does give her that opportunity.
“I probably would like to buy 10 T-shirts to take home and give to my Mom, Dad and my little brothers,” she says, changing her mind about not buying any gift to take home. Besides, of course, bringing home a medal, which would be the best gift!
By J. D. Mulyanto
Reynier Vargas, Special Olympics Cuba
Vargas owes a lot to Special Olympics. Vargas, a 15-year-old athlete competing in table tennis at the 2007 World Summer Games, had trouble speaking and interacting with other people before becoming involved with the movement. Now, he speaks clearly and freely and has high hopes for a bright future, with aspirations of becoming a mechanic in his hometown of Santiago, Cuba.
Vargas, who enjoys playing basketball as well as table tennis, says Special Olympics has helped him be more social and he has made a lot of friends through his participation in the movement. He enjoys talking to the other Special Olympics athletes and volunteers and enjoys being social. Before getting involved in Special Olympics, Vargas says social situations were difficult for him; now he talks joyfully to the other athletes and volunteers. He also has learned a lot more about sports through Special Olympics. Before he joined Special Olympics he only played simple sports, but now he enjoys training and competing and being with friends.
By Sam McAllister
69-year-old Athlete Expects Gold at 2007 World Games
Cor Uitvlugt from Special Olympics Netherlands
“I'm not old. I want to win," the 69-year-old table tennis player Cor Uitvlugt from Special Olympics Netherlands told reporters at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China, on 6 October.
Uitvlugt is the oldest athlete at the 2007 World Games, which has drawn almost 7,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities and their coaches from all over the world.
Uitvlugt had three successive matches in the men's singles competition on 6 October. Moving fast and responding quickly, Uitvlugt is very skillful in the backhand smash. Although he lost one of the matches, Uitvlugt was not sad. "I expect gold in following competitions," he said.
Incredibly, the 69-year-old man had an operation just two months ago, which nearly cost his chances for table tennis games or even his life. In a physical examination in early July, Uitvlugt was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. "The doctor said the situation was really bad and he had to get an operation right away," said Feike Tuinhof, head coach of the Special Olympics Netherlands table tennis team.
However, two weeks later, when the doctor rechecked Uitvlugt, he was surprised to see that all the cancer cells were cleared. Four months later, Uitvlugt returned to the table tennis team and came to play at the 2007 World Games in Shanghai.
"It's a miracle," said Tuinhof, adding that table tennis is Uitvlugt's favorite sport. Since he started to play 25 years ago, he never stopped. In a Special Olympics competition held in Luxemburg in June, Uitvlugt won one gold and one silver.
"He was once an aggressive player, very fast. But now we told him to slow down since he just had such a big operation," said Tuinhof.
"I'm OK, I'm recovered. My coach helped me. Table tennis makes me healthy. I'll win," said the oldest athlete at the 2007 World Games.
Reprinted from China View (Editor: Wang Hongjiang)
Wang Shoudong, Special Olympics China
Wang, a 23-year-old athlete from Shanghai, China, has changed his life dramatically with the help of Special Olympics. Before joining Special Olympics he worked at a Starbucks coffee shop in his home town. Now he has travelled the world competing in table tennis as a Special Olympics China athlete.
“Because of the Special Olympics Games I am now seen as equal to others” without an intellectual disability, he said. Wang competed in the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, where he says he played well. He also has travelled to other countries, including the United States, so now, according to his coach, he is “world famous.” Although he enjoyed seeing the United States and Ireland, he is very happy that the 2007 World Games are being held in his home town of Shanghai. In addition to the competition, he likes meeting other athletes from different countries.
Wang says his parents are very encouraging of his activity with Special Olympics. “They tell me, ‘No matter how hard the game is, you should still try your best,’” he says. Thanks to his hard work and the opportunities offered by Special Olympics, Wang has gone from anonymous coffee shop worker to international celebrity.
By Sam McAllister
Check out other 2007 World Games news. |
