Winners all, and how. Jharkhand players — coincidentally all from Jamshedpur — bagged as many as 10 medals at the Special Olympics International World Summer Games that ended in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Overall, India won 368 medals, which even Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted as “historic”. On Thursday, Chowkidar Narendra Modi @narendramodi wrote: “Today is a proud day for India! Our contingent at the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi has won a historic 368 medals including 85 Golds. Congratulations to all the medalists. Their fortitude and accomplishments inspire millions.”
Of the seven special players of Jharkhand, six are from Jamshedpur, one from Ranchi. Five from Jamshedpur won the 10 medals.
Badminton player Monika Mahto, 22, claimed gold (singles) and silver (doubles), fellow shuttler Rohit Nag, 24, won gold in doubles. Sprinter N. Sai Krishna (20) bagged silver (100m) and bronze (200m), lifter Neha Rajak, 17, won four bronze medals in powerlifting. Cyclist Shubham Chaurasia, only 15, won bronze.
Athletes Ashique Ansari of Ranchi and Priyanshu Patro from Jamshedpur did not win medals, but the spirit of Special Games was such that everyone was a winner.
India’s 85 gold medals apart, the country won 154 silver and 129 bronze.
Parents of special athletes are eagerly waiting for their wards, who will reach Jamshedpur on Saturday.
Powerlifter Neha’s mother Anju, a domestic help in Sonari, said her daughter made her own life worthwhile. “I can’t imagine my daughter won four medals to make her country proud,” the woman sounded overcome. “Beti ghar aane par halwa banaungi (I will cook halwa for my daughter).” Father Vinod, a security guard, said he always had faith in his daughter. “Neha bhale hi mand buddhi ki hai par mehnati khiladi hai (Neha may be mentally impaired but is a hard-working player).”
Shuttlers Monika and Rohit, under a cloud over whether they are mentally impaired — their documents are under scrutiny — have also won medals. While results of scrutiny will decide the fate of their medals, as only the intellectually impaired are eligible for the Special Games, for now the parents of Monika and Rohit are jubilant.
“Beti nein seena chauda kar diya hain. Bahut garv mehsoos ho raha hain. Monika ko rasgulle bahut pasand hai. Ghar lautne par khilaunga (My daughter has made my chest swell in pride. She loves rasgullas, I’ll treat her with some),” said Sukhdev Mahto, a trucker and resident of Tinplate. Kripa Nag, Rohit’s father, said he was sure his son would win gold. “Rohit had suffered paralysis when he was 10. He somehow manages to walk. We are very proud of him,” said Nag, an employee of Tata Steel Noamundi mines who lives in Birsanagar.
Special Olympics Jharkhand assistant area director Satbir Singh Sahota said they could have won more medals had cyclist Priyanshu not been disqualified for going in another lane. “But we are very happy with our players.”
A welcome ceremony for players would be held at JRD Tata complex on Saturday.
