The members from Tamil Nadu who participated in the 10th Asia Pacific Deaf Games-2024 in Kuala Lumpur.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Even a month after winning 14 medals at the 10th Asia Pacific Deaf Games-2024 in Kuala Lumpur, sportspersons from Tamil Nadu still await due recognition from the State government. While congratulations poured in on X and other social media platforms, the team members, however, have neither received incentives nor felicitations from the government.
“We see our peers in paralympics, chess, cricket, and other sports getting recognition and encouragement from the government. Do we not deserve the same respect,” said R. Subashree of Villupuram district, a Class XII student who was part of the team that bagged the gold medal in the 4×400 metres relay and silver medal in the 4×100 metres mixed relay.
Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, the 11 team members from the State, who won various medals, said they did not have access to coaching assistance or facilities such as training grounds on a par with their international peers.
Priyanga Paramaraj of Theni district discovered her athleticism at a running competition in Class X. She went on to win gold medals at State-level competitions. She recently won five medals at the Asia Pacific Games held in December. “She had cochlear surgery when she was seven years old. So, we were apprehensive of her taking up sports. But once we discovered her natural talent, we did not want to stop her. We take her to a practice ground every morning and evening,” adds P. Usha, her mother who is a speech therapist. Her father is a farm labourer.
Unable to afford a coach, Ms. Priyanga relies on YouTube videos for her training. “She diligently practises daily. I observe her, and with the help of videos, try to advise her. I also learn about her nutritional needs from these videos,” Ms. Usha said.
With the support of her parents, she travelled with the Indian team to take part in the international event. “From expensive shoes to travelling costs for qualifiers and international events, my parents support me. But we are not sure how sustainable this will be,” she said. The scenario is the same for most of the other members.
K. Manikandan of Tiruchi district, has been training by running around a local hill called Perumalmalai for the past three years. “We were not given permission to train on the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu ground nor can we afford a coach. The hill is notorious for its snakes,” said K. Selvi, his mother.
Ms. Subhashree described how running on sand was vastly different than running on the synthetic ground used in international arenas. “We don’t have access to such a ground, and hence, it takes a while to get used to the dynamics,” she added.
The team aims to prepare for the 2025 Summer Deaflympics next. “We are confident in our ability. We just need support. Our achievements are in no way lesser than those of others. We deserve to be congratulated and supported, whether it be in terms of finances or equipment. We want to raise awareness on deaf sports,” said Sameeha Barvin, who won two medals at the Asia Pacific Games.
Published – January 28, 2025 10:39 pm IST