SHANGHAI: Competition in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games was in full swing Thursday as intellectually disadvantaged athletes from 164 nations and regions participated at a number of venues, pushing the limits of their own bodies.
Fireworks light up the stadium during the opening ceremony for The Special Olympics in Shanghai October 2, 2007. [Agencies]Zhou Shuyun, 18, a Shanghai athlete, joined dozens of her peers in a motor skills training program designed for people with severe intellectual disabilities.
The slim girl, with a big medal swinging in front of her chest, sat cheerfully on the sidelines, letting out periodic shrieks of joy.
Zhou, who is too weak to participate in competitive events, had minutes before pushed a ball as hundreds of encouraging spectators and family members cheered her on. She could barely speak to communicate with other competitors.
"It (the ball push) is the simplest thing for an ordinary person - but a miracle for my daughter," said Zhou's mother Xu Yi.
Members of the German delegation attend the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics in Shanghai October 2, 2007. [Agencies]Since the girl, the only child of the family, was diagnosed with serious disability at the age of two, the mother has been caring for her full time at home. The teenager relies on assistance from others to eat and walk.
"It's hard to describe how heartbreaking it was when I learned of my daughter's disability," Xu recalled. "But after so many years I became tranquil with that reality and feel happy for each minor bit of progress she has made."
【体坛英语资讯:Respect, admiration abound in Shanghai】相关文章:
★ 娱乐英语资讯:Amy Winehouse and Blake are killing each other,says her mother-in-law
★ 娱乐英语资讯:Nicole Kidman is deeply in love, but not happy
★ 娱乐英语资讯:Are the Beckhams headed back across the pond
★ 体坛资讯:China race into Sudirman Cup final
★ 娱乐英语资讯:Aishwarya Rai and her husband promote an entertainment event in Toronto
★ 娱乐英语资讯:Magnolias bloom in televisions big night
★ 体坛英语资讯:Hamilton wants Alonso out of McLaren
★ 娱乐英语资讯:Mischa Barton charged with drunk driving
★ 娱乐英语资讯:Rod Stewart bans daughter from modeling undieworld
★ 体坛资讯:China storm into semis, S. Korea pose strong in Sudirman Cup
最新
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15
2020-09-15