It takes further efforts for the persons with intellectual
disabilities to walk out of door and integrate into society
entirely, but these special children have already begun to share
skill and joy with others at the Special Olympics in Shanghai.
The wife of Icelandic
President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson talks to a Special Olympic player
in the Pudong Swimming Centre, Shanghai, east China on Oct. 4,
2007. Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson and his wife, who
are on the visit to Shanghai, came here Thursday to cheer for
Special Olympic players of Iceland.
The Motor Activities Training Program (MATP), which finished its
two-day schedule on Thursday, is one of the four demonstration
Sports at the Oct. 2-11 Special Olympics and competed by athletes
with severe intellectual disabilities and incapable of
participating in the competitive events.
Although the event features some easy motions such as ball
kicking, rolling on cushion and standing jump, they are hard enough
for these children who are even unable to articulate.
"I can do it myself," said Chinese athlete Zhao Zhenhua
seriously when he had trouble in the rolling event on the cushion,
refusing to take the hands of the volunteers around.
It took long for the chubby boy to finish his job, but the
audience, judges and volunteers all cheered for him and clapped at
his courage.
"The MATP has only been held in Ireland in 2003, and I'm proud
the second MATP could be held in Shanghai," said Zhu Chenggang,
director of the MATP Committee of the 2007 Special Olympics.
"The Special Olympic Games is a grand occasion to show humanity
and care for the people with intellectual disability, and the MATP
further promotes that spirit.
The MATP can make them improve their skills and enhance their
health, thus playing an incentive role on them, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2007)
