11-member Indian team for 22nd International German Paralympic Swimming Championship

An 11-member team of the differently-abled swimmers left for Germany on Tuesday night to participate in the 22nd International German Paralympic Swimming Championship at Berlin.

Gwalior, May 22 : An 11-member team of the differently-abled swimmers left for Germany on Tuesday night to participate in the 22nd International German Paralympic Swimming Championship at Berlin.

At least 15 probables practiced hard for over 35 days at a special training camp at the Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) in Gwalior. The camp was held for the selection of the final 11-member team.

The team has a dream to bag at least one gold medal in the swimming championship being hosted at Berlin between May 22 and 25.

General Secretary of the Indian Paralympics Swimmers Organisation, Dr. V. K. Dawas has trained the team.

"These participants are going to take part in 22nd German International Swimming Championship. The team has been selected on the basis of national swimming championship held in Pune last December," said Dr. V. K. Dawas, General Secretary of Indian Paralympics Swimmers Organisation ahead of team's departure.

"It has 11 swimmers--three women and eight men; two of them are visually-impaired and two are on wheel-chair. They have gone through a rigorous training. Except for one, the rest 10 have been participating at all the levels," Dr. Dawas informed.

Beaming with confidence, the 11-member Indian team was determined to bring laurels like in the past when it fared fairly well abroad.

"My coach has been extremely supportive with me. I have taken part in normal competition. While people normally balance with the help of their hands, I balance myself with my legs and the difference is of 20 seconds. I have played in many nationals and have also been a gold medallist," said Vinod Singh, a paralympic international swimmer from Kolkata.

"I have also participated in many international competitions and have gone to London, won a bronze medal in 2006. I got the chance to play world games also," said he added.

"The institute was started by Dr. V. K. Dawas with four disabled-children in Circa 2000. He found out individuals with promising future, trained us and took great care. In 2006, the participants started going abroad supported by the government.

In 2006, the team went to England and brought home a medal. In December 2006, we went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for Pacific Games and won so many medals there," said Deepa Malik, another team member.

"In 2007 in Taiwan World Games, this team went and did a commendable job. Now this 11-member team is going to Berlin for German Open Championship. We have received training for the same since past one-and-a-half month," Deepa added.

Though the team is aware of the big challenge it is to face, it is determined to bring laurels to the country and do everyone proud by bagging a Gold medal. By Ashok Pal

ANI