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Para Games provides incentive for disabled to take up sports

Para table tennis athletes say the 12th ASEAN Para Games will be the best opportunity to promote and attract more disabled people to get involved in sports.

 

There are five days until the official opening ceremony of the ASEAN Para Games which will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Many are looking forward to the event and hope it will be an occasion that will encourage disabled people to take up sports more than they are now.

 

“There are disabled people who think that they cannot do any sports due to their disability. But, if they watch the competition during the upcoming Para Games, I believe many will be encouraged to play sports,” Pov Nuch, 35, a Cambodian para table tennis player said.

 

He said there are different kinds of sports which are specially designed for disabled people based on their physical condition. So that they (disabled people) can have plenty of choices to choose whatever sport they like, he said.

 

Disabled athletes in Cambodia as well as other countries in the region hesitate to take up a sport due to limited social and family support, but more importantly there is discrimination from the community which prevents them from unleashing their potential.

 

“Playing a sport is essential in helping disabled people’s health both physically and mentally. So, let’s grab the chance if you’re really into it,” he said.

 

The 35-year-old took up table tennis in 2017. He said that he was introduced to the sport through friends.

 

“When I arrived at the disabled centre in Phnom Penh, I saw there are different sports but table tennis suited me the most,” he said.

 

“My family and friends were curious how people like me train and play sport, so I tried to explain it to them.”

This is the second time for Nuch to participate at the ASEAN Para Games. He hopes that he can perform better than at the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia last year.

“I think it’s always better to compete at home. Because we can have more fans. We’re getting used to the venue, and it feels exciting,” he said.

“The table tennis players have enough time to prepare for the competition, and we’re looking forward to the match day.”

Nuch will compete in three different categories – men’s team, men’s doubles, and men’s singles at this year’s tournament.

In the 11th ASEAN Para Games last year, he won a bronze medal in the men’s team event. It was his first medal as an athlete.

Ek Nhansamoth, 40, is another para table tennis player representing the Cambodian team at the tournament.

He also has the same expectation as Pov Nuch.

He said the team has been training since early this year. They train six days a week and ten hours a day.

“We hope that we can do better and try to win medals. But, there are some strong teams like Thailand and Indonesia that we will face,” he said.

The Cambodian Para table tennis team was established in 2017, and they are relatively new to the sport compared to the others from ASEAN countries.

Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com