“The most important thing in the Olympic Games Is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well”.– The Olympic Creed
The Olympic Creed reflects the ideals of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee and in no uncertain terms is a celebration of the spirit and ethos of the Olympic Games. The soul of the Olympic Creed is further accentuated when seen in the context of the ongoing Paralympics in Paris.
The Olympic Games which culminated a few weeks ago witnessed the best in the World of Sport. The mega event was a treat to watch and devour for every sports fan. The competition was at its toughest and the performances were truly sublime.
The ongoing Paralympics are not far behind either. The competition is severe, the preparation is brilliant and the performances truly exceptional. I initially felt that there may not be many takers for the Paralympics, but a packed to capacity Stade de France in Paris countered all my apprehensions. There was massive encouragement and support for the athletes who were stretching every muscle in their body to put a show for the audiences. Undoubtedly, the thrill was reminiscent to that of the main Olympic Games.
I was so sucked in by the atmosphere and the level of competence, that I never realised I was watching the Olympics for athletes who face various degrees of challenges physically. Every athlete participating has his or her own story to tell. A story of unimaginable trauma, a painful fight to counter despair, years and years of struggle, unhindered focus, unwavering determination and an unflinching grit and doggedness. Howsoever unimaginable it may sound, it is fact that these athletes have braved the worst and have churned out incredibly inspiring tales to tell the world.
The Indian contingent at the Paralympics has so far performed brilliantly, winning 15 medals including 3 Golds, 5 Silver and 7 bronze medals ( 5 medals in athletics, 5 in badminton, 4 in shooting and 1 in archery ). How immensely proud our contingent made every Indian, would be an understatement.
These athletes, literally unknown till now, defied every obstacle coming their way to secure glory for our country. The coverage of the event in India is limited to DD Sports and there are no extravagant sets and round table conferences and so I hope we do not forget Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Nitesh Kumar, Manish Narwal, Nishad Kumar, Yogesh Kathuriya, T Murugesan, Suhas Yathiraj, Mona Agarwal, Preethi Pal, Rubina Francis, Manisha Ramadass, Rakesh Kumar, Sheetal Devi, Nithya Sre Sivan and all our brave participants. These athletes are true inspirations and their story should be spread far and wide to motivate and rejuvenate every section of our society.
The Paralympics is still going on and our medal fest at the event is not going to stop at 15. Our grit-abled brigade is set to bring more laurels to our country. Let’s cheer for them and for all the Paralympians from across the world for their amazing character and self belief.
Athletes Incredible !!
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Featured Image : Sheetal Devi/ pic courtesy english.jagran.com
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Thank you