From Heroes to Super-Heroes

Over a cup of coffee when I expressed my intent to write the next issue of my newsletter on the Olympics, an opinion whizzed through my ear .. but the Olympics is over – From a friend seated across the table with his double shot expresso resting elegantly between his entwined fingers..!!

I calmly responded you have only seen the Heroes… Super Heroes are still battling it out...!!

He was baffled for a second but soon realised what I was speaking about as he glanced at the Instagram page I had been tracking for months, yes, my dear friends – The Paralympics 2024. If I had been a biophysicist, I would have developed an instrument to measure the resilience of humans. I am sure the Paralympics would have been the epicentre of that measurement as every story you read is nothing less than extraordinary...!!!

These remarkable athletes have overcome significant challenges and adversities to excel in their respective sports, serving as an inspiration to people around the world.

Born without a forearm, Khudadadi started competing in Para sport at the age of nine, going on to become the first Afghan woman to compete in taekwondo at the Tokyo Paralympics – 2021.

If being physically challenged was one war she was fighting for years to defy the beliefs of the conventional world, in 2020 she found herself amid another conflict in her country and was forced into hiding and continued to train for the Paralympics from her back garden. It was only after a viral video plea that Khudadadi was able to escape the country and continue her sporting career.

Standing on the stage as the first medal winner for the refugee team, she embodied the hope of 120 million people forcibly displaced worldwide. This night belonged to her! However, the journey to that podium is nothing less than a combination of belief, courage and hope.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated Indian shooter, Avani Lekhara on winning the Gold medal in the R2 Women 10m Air Rifle SH1 event in Paris Paralympics 2024. Avani Lekhara also created history as she is the 1st Indian woman athlete to win 3 Paralympic medals

After a life-altering road accident in 2012, which left her wheelchair-bound. Avani's father despite all the challenges that lay ahead encouraged her to explore sports as a means of physical and mental rehabilitation.

Avani Lekhara's story is one of resilience, determination, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. Becoming a Paralympic champion proves that anything is possible with grit and perseverance. Avani continues to break barriers and inspire millions.

While I was immersed in the world of these phenomenal athletes, one name sprung up from the crowd and took a special place in the edition Ed Jackson, Ed Jackson is a former rugby player who co-presents the Paralympics in Paris. This a true story of #growth mindset and #resilience, Jackson has fought back to scale mountains and set up the charity M2M (Millimetres To Mountains) to help people who’ve been through physical or psychological trauma.

The athlete's life changed forever when he suffered severe spinal cord injuries, leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down after hitting his head in a swimming pool. Doctors said he should be grateful to be alive, but life does not have much to offer in the future. Millimetre by Millimetre he regained movement in his fingers and defied all odds, today he stands on the top of Snowdown, the highest peak in Wales and that was just the beginning…!!!

While their journeys have been marked by countless obstacles, setbacks, and sacrifices, Paralympians continue to demonstrate unwavering resilience in the face of adversity. Their stories serve as a powerful reminder of the human spirit's capacity to triumph over adversity and achieve greatness.

If had a chance would have narrated every story, as one is greater than others but for you to get a glimpse and help inspire each of you to pause, think and be thankful for what we have and what we can achieve. We are not finite…!!!

#growthmindset #resilience #paralympics #storie

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