DETERMINATION PLUS !!
When you are heavy, in a non-specialist wheelchair, faced with 100m. of a bumpy Football pitch, you need fantastic determination to actually finish ! Tokataake (shown in photo) DID finish, although it took a while !
If you are a leg amputee and normally operate on crutches, does that stop you jamming the half-leg into a crutch and throwing the Discus ? Not for these amazing people !
You are blind, not running with a "mate", but a long 100m. from the Finish. You fall over but do you give up ? Not these !
CELEBRATING "HUMAN RIGHTS DAY".
The Toamatoa Group decided to celebrate their Human Rights Day partly by having an Athletics competition. The range of categories included wheelchair, blind, amputee, malformed limbs, etc. for males and females. But they showed that, whatever the handicap, whether the Shot went two metres or nine metres, they were happy to participate. Another great thing about them was their instant and enthusiastic support for each other's efforts.
For the 100m. races, they went from goal to goal on the Football pitch. For the Shot and Discus, with the correct weights for male and female, we simply used a line and did not worry about sectors. As mentioned earlier, their wheelchairs were NOT specially adapted for these events, making throwing very awkward for them - but never any complaints or tears !
THE FUNNIEST MOMENT ...
The funniest incident, at least for the spectators, was during the Mens' Impaired Vision (Blind) 100m. race. Three started (see photo). One ran straight, guided by a voice at the other end. The other two had other "helpers" but ran zig-zag. Being roughly equally fast and running equally zig-zag, about 20m. from the Finish, they collided spectacularly and fell heavily, bouncing off each other into the dust ! Nevertheless they showed typical guts by scrambling up, getting re-orientated, and racing to the Finish !
IT REMINDED ME ...
Their incredible efforts today reminded me of seeing a totally blind girl doing High Jump. She must have had excellent coaching and great confidence because she was clearing more than her own height using Fosbury ! A hyper motor-sensory system would seem to be a prerequisite ! Just to "remember" the rhythm, the strides, the curving approach, the position of the landing area - just think about how it must feel !
Last Modified on 03/12/2007 19:24