Special Olympics: Pingalwara athletes win1 gold, 3 bronze medals in Germany

Neha Saini

Amritsar, June 27

Pingalwara wards MD Nisar, Sita and Renu have joined the elite list of international Olympians as they bagged four medals at the Special Olympics World Games held in Berlin, Germany, between June 17 to June 25. The three special athletes bagged medals in roller-skating events competing in different categories. Their podium finish will also earn them a cash reward announced by the Punjab government, which will give Rs 10 lakh for every gold medal, Rs 7 lakh for silver medal and Rs 5 lakh for bronze medal winner. MD Nisar won gold in 30m roller-skating event, Renu won two bronze medals in 30m roller-skating and Sita won one bronze in 30m roller-skating event at the games.

The trio will receive a grand reception as they arrive back in the city after competing in games on June 28. Pingalwara director Dr Inderjit Kaur said that all three of them competed alongside 7,000 special athletes participating from 198 countries. “There were a total of eight special athletes from Punjab in the Indian contingent for the games and we are glad that our wards have come back winning medals for the country, making a mark on the sporting front,” she shared. Previously, 11 of Pingalwara’s special athletes have won medals for the country at the Special Olympics World Games, in sports including weightlifting, powerlifting, roller-skating and more.

Creating their own identity

MD Nisar, Sita and Renu have been living at the Pinaglwara’s Manawala branch, calling it their home ever since they were found abandoned by some good samaritans and taken under Pingalwara’s care. Nisar, came to Pingalwara in 2018, as someone who had found him at railway station left him at Pingalwara. Only 11, Nisar found his safe haven at Pingalwara, getting education at Bhagat Puran Singh School and later joined the sports team as a special athlete. Sita and Renu’s stories aren’t different as they too were found abandoned and brought to Pingalwara shelter home as kids. Overcoming their disabilities through consistent training, discipline and hard work, they now hope to create their own identity in sports and in life.

Supporting its special children in sports and training them to become honed athletes, Pingalwara’s sports programme has reaped great products till today. “We have continuously produced medal winning special athletes and our presence at the national and international sporting events for differently abled has also increased over the years,” added Dr Inderjit Kaur.