FIRST DIVISIONAL PARALYMPICS IN RAWALPINDI DIVISION
VENUE: SHEHBAZ SHAREEF SPORTS COMPLEX & RAWAL CRICKET GROUND. DATE: 21ST– 22ND MARCH 2023.
REPORT BY: IMRAN HUSSAIN
A sound mind resides in a body. Sports and games in large muscular coordination resulting in physical fitness apart from inculcating sportsmanship, leadership, unity and competitive spirit among the athletes. Rawalpindi Division Paralympics play an important role in changing negative stereotypes about disability. Through this Paralympics event Spring Association aims to enable Person with disabilities to flourish as members of the Paralympic Movement by achieving sporting excellence and trying to prove their worth.” This is reflected in its motto, “Equality – Excellence – Transcendence.”
The project is in line with the existing issues being faced by the local populace of the area and would focus efforts towards the following:
- Increasing awareness on linkages between Person with disabilities and non-disable.
- Improving the significance of potentials, parents are given guidance and counseling to allow their special female (females with disabilities) child to participate in sports.
- To build a more open and inclusive society, and to see disabled people play full roles at all levels of society in Pakistan and around the world, from government ministers, parliamentarians, officials, and media to industry, academia, civil society, and especially sports which is being neglected from many years.
The Paralympics, also known as the Paralympic games or Paralympiad, involve athletes/sportsmen and women with diverse physical impairments known as Paraathelets. These problems include muscle and movement paralysis, limb amputation or leg length differences, small height, eyesight impairment, mental retardation, ataxia (abnormal, uncoordinated motions), and athetosis (slow, involuntary, and writhing movements of the limbs, face, neck, tongue, and other muscle groups). When compared to their able-bodied counterparts, the handicapped population is among the poorest in both developed and developing countries.
Paralympics in Rawalpindi Division will contribute to a more inclusive society in which all members of the community are equally appreciated. Paralympians play a critical role in reducing negative attitudes of disability. Special persons/disabled demonstrated that they can do amazing things.
Opening Ceremony:
The opening ceremony was held in Shehbaz Shareef Sports Complex on 22nd March 2023 at 9:30 am.
The event was inaugurated by Assistant Commissioner Rawalpindi. On this occasion shirts and kits were distributed to all the players. It was going to be a huge program of the year. All the participants were very much excited after all this was the time to enjoy beyond the neglected and dull life. All have been selected for different games and started practicing and making them well and fit for the day.
All the participants have taken part in those games which are their strengths as well as the game that they like. The students were already divided into different Teams.
Figures:
| Sr. No | Participants (both) | Wheelchair user | Upper body Disability | Blind |
| 1 | Total participants = 75 People with differently abled | |||
| 2 | Male with Disabilities= 70 | 21 | 31 | 18 |
| 3 | Women with disabilities= 5 | 3 | – | 2 |
| 4 | Volunteers = 6 | Male= 3, female = 3 | ||
| 5 | Coaches | 5. | ||
Table tennis:
Athletes with physical disabilities, eyesight impairment, or intellectual disability compete in table tennis at the Paralympics. Players win points by striking a ball over the net while attempting to make their opponent miss or strike the net accidently.
There were two categories for the table tennis, one was women with disabilities and the other one was men with disabilities.
A table tennis competition was played between Aqib Rajput and Faheed. Aqib won this match and made his name. While in the same competition, Noor and Maryam were played in the women’s category. Noor won this match
Badminton:
Para-badminton is played on a rectangular court divided by a net with a shuttle, similar to badminton. The goal of para-badminton is to use a racquet to transfer the shuttle from one side of the net to the other team on the other, in order to induce a mistake and therefore earn a point.
There were two categories for the Badminton, one was women with disabilities and the other one was men with disabilities.
A badminton competition was played between Rafey Abdullah and Alamghir, Faisal Nadeem and M. saleem. Rafey Abdullah and M.saleem won this match and made his name. While in the same competition, Saima and Nadia Parveen were played in the women’s category. Saima won this match.
Archery:
Para-archery is open to athletes with physical disabilities at the Paralympic Games and includes standing and wheelchair sports. Athletes take long-range shots at a target with ten score zones. The goal of the sport is to shoot arrows from a distance of 70 meters as near to the center of a target as possible.
There were two categories for the Archery, one was women with disabilities and the other one was men with disabilities.
Archery competition was played among 18 players Hamid Satti got first position while Abu Baker got second and Atta-ur-Rehman got Third position. While in the same competition, Bakhtawar Bibi, laraib, mehwish bibi and Asma were played in the women’s category.
Sitting Volley Ball Athletes:
Athletes participate sitting down in the Paralympics. It’s difficult to play volleyball at home unless you have a large backyard, but it’s a terrific game to play at the park/playground with friends or as part of an athletic team.
Volley Ball competition was played between two teams.
Cricket Match:
Disability cricket is a fun and competitive team activity that persons with a wide range of limitations may enjoy. For many years, blind cricket was the only form of the game that catered to persons with disabilities, but new varieties of the game have lately been invented, allowing more people i.e., physical disabilities to participate than ever before.
There were two teams head by Captain Nadeem and Captain Raja Qasier. Captain Raja Qasier ‘s team was winner.
Wheelchair Race:
Wheelchair racing takes place on both the track and on the road. Athletes with any qualifying impairment, including amputees, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, and the partly sighted, are eligible (when combined with another disability). Athletes are classed according on the nature and degree of their handicap or disability combination.
There were three races held.
- Wheelchair race of men with disabilities.
- Wheelchair race of women with disabilities
- Crutches users race
Raheel was the winner in first category, while Maryam was the winner in second category and Qais Ali was the winner of the third category.
Ludo:
This was also an indoor game which was played between three women with disabilities. Aaiza, Maryam and Noor were the participant but the winner was the Aaiza. While Ajaib khan and Ijaz was the winner in men
People with Disabilities enjoyed participating in games. It was a big opportunity to showcase their abilities, team work and intellectuality. All the participants utilized this opportunity very well.
Closing Ceremony:
Closing ceremony was held at 4: 30 pm on 22nd March 2023. The chief guest was the Commissioner Rawalpindi “Liaqat Ali Chatha”. On this occasion he said to the players;
Sports can teach many things. “A sports team is a tiny parliament operating on a war footing, and what holds it together and makes it work is much maligned cult of winning,”. People learn a sense of discipline, cooperation, and how to handle winning or losing. The importance of winning gives a type of felling of weakness when a loss is brought upon in life. Sports have often displayed the pains, troubles, and embarrassments in people’s lives. They have been a new center for looking deep within oneself. Character building has been included through sports. They help build health, such as self-control and weight balance. Sports have provided many opportunities in forms of competition, which is one of the biggest things sport can teach…..
In the end, He distributed medals, certificates and trophies in winners. All the participants felt excited and happy after seeing the commissioner among them.
A Glimpse of the Event
