Lessons Learned for Us from 10 Inspiring Stories of Disabilities Athletes

“ My advice to other disable people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit as well as physically. “ Stephen Hawking

Hello, Medium readers, in this article I would like to share ten inspirational stories about athletes with disabilities. I believe that everyone in this world is always given different privileges. You must agree, right ? Even though it has limitations, it is not a barrier to showing strengths. In fact, these limitations can be a trigger to get even more enthusiastic about creating. Of course, this proves that anyone is capable of achieving. This includes different abilities (diffables) who are often considered to have shortcomings compared to people in general. Even though many of their works are above average, you know ! Are you curious about what proud achievements they have achieved?

These 10 athletes have proven themselves that their shortcomings cannot limit themselves to achievement. To be inspired to pursue dreams and accomplishments, listen to their inspirational stories !

1. Rheed McCracken

Rheed McCracken is a wheelchair marathon athlete. It is known that he suffers from celebral palsy which causes weak leg muscles. However, he did not give up on his condition.

His first match saw him win silver and bronze medals in athletics T34. This 19-year-old man has been named the junior athlete for the 2012 Australian Paralympics.

2. Amy Conroy

This woman who was born in 1992 is a basketball athlete who uses a wheelchair. Amy was diagnosed with osteosarcoma , a bone cancer that requires amputation of her leg.

But that didn’t stop her steps. She lives a life like an ordinary person, even in basketball.

Thanks to her persistence, she became the top scorer against the Netherlands at the Summer Paralympics in London, 2012. In addition, she is also the top scorer with 22 points against Mexico.

3. Iris Pruysen

Iris Pruysen lost one of her legs to a gas explosion while attending a sailing camp in the Netherlands. Despite her shortcomings, this 28-year-old female athlete is a world champion in the long jump sport. She won a gold medal at the world championship competition in Lyon, France.

In fact, she was named a female athlete in 2013 in the Netherlands. She is also a formidable athlete placing 3rd of the 10 most popular paralympic athletes.

4. Pamela Relph

Pamela Relph was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis which is an inflammatory joint disease. But that did not discourage him by winning a gold medal at the world rowing championship in 2012.

Additionally, Pam has won four world titles since she started her international career in 2011.

Initially she was in the military world with the ambition to become a technical officer. But she had to bury her dream because of the illness he was suffering from.

Thanks to the help of her older sister, Monica, who introduced her to the world of sports and she worked hard on it until she achieved many achievements.

5. Jon-Allan Butterworth

The cyclist athlete who lost his left arm in a rocket attack in Basra, won the competition in London in 2012. He took home 3 silver medals at once.

He lost his left hand while serving as a weapons technician for Roy Air Force or RAF, Iraq in 2007 when he was 21 years old.

6. Natalia Partyka

This table tennis gold medalist was born without a right hand. Natalia doesn’t seem to give up on her shortcomings.

Her action during the match attracted the attention of Polish citizens and received a positive response. In fact he won gold medals in all single paralympic competitions.

In 2000, she became the world’s youngest paralympian at the age of 11 which was held in Sydney, Australia. She took home the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games gold and silver medals.

Remarkably, she was awarded the knight’s cross of the Ordo Polonia Restituta for her sports achievements. What an amazing achievement.

7. Marcel Hug

Despite using a wheelchair, Marcel Hug has won six consecutive major marathon titles and has been nicknamed the ‘silver bullet’. In 2010, Hug set four world records in just four days.

In 2012 he won the competition in London and dominated the field by winning five gold and silver medals in 2013.

He was crowned a sportsman in 2016 at the Credit Suisse Sports Awards in Zurich, Switzerland.

8. Jonnie Peacock

Jonnie Peacock (Instagram / 04jonpea)

Jonnie Peacock had to amputate his right leg due to meningitis. But he did not give up on becoming a sprint athlete in England.

Evidenced by the gold medal he had won in the London Paralympic competition in 2012, which was held by men with a distance of 100 meters.

After winning the world cup paralympic title in Mancheste in May 2012, he later became the fastest amputee runner in the world by winning the 100 meter US paralympic trial in 10.85 seconds.

9. Kelly Cartwright

This female athlete from Geelong, Australia suffered from synovial sarcoma cancer which caused her right leg to be amputated. Although she only has one leg, she is a gold medalist in the long jump sport at the London Paralympics in 2012.

Not only that, she has been named as an ambassador for the Make A Wish Foundation foundation and also as the Australian Paralympic Committee. Kelly also participated in Dancing with the Stars that summer.

10. David Eng

Even though he had to be in a wheelchair, it didn’t make David give up in life. It is proven by the achievements he has achieved, namely winning gold and silver medals in paralympic gold.

what can be admired about him is the aggressive way of playing and he has also been recognized for his success in the field of sport.

David has been named men’s athlete of the year by the Canadian Sports Association or CWSA. Not only being an athlete, he is also a kinesiologist that he has achieved while studying at the University of Texas, Arlington.

5 Thing Lessons Learned for Us

The negative stigma against people with disabilities, which is synonymous with limitations and shortcomings, still often occurs. Many people still view disabilities from the limitations they have. If he is visually impaired one must see their inability to see, if he is deaf then what is seen must be their inability to hear.

Even though behind it all, they have features that can motivate us to always be enthusiastic about living this life. Here are some life motivations that can be taken to us from persons with disabilities.

1. High Fighting spirits

Even though they have limitations, persons with disabilities have high Fighting spirits, because for them limitations are not an excuse for not making achievements.

This is evident from the various kinds of achievements that have been achieved . The fighting spirit of people with disabilities, of course, must be made as motivation to keep up the spirit and strive to achieve what we want. Moreover, we are born normal with perfect physique, of course our fighting spirit should be even higher.

Normal people who want to be successful are definitely tested, especially for people with disabilities, of course their tests are much tougher. For that there is no reason for us to complain and give up, whatever your dream, believe in high fighting spirts we will be able to achieve it.

2. Making limitations as strengths

Having physical limitations does not become a barrier for persons with disabilities to continue working, because they do not consider their limitations as a burden. It is precisely from these limitations that they have strength. Even though they can’t hear, see or anything else, they are still excited and trying to make their dreams come true.

So, how about us? We should also be able to, make the weaknesses we have as strengths that can lead us to success.

3. Patience in facing reality

Living life as a person with disabilities is certainly not easy, because many people criticize, underestimate, and sometimes even get discriminatory treatment from others, so that sometimes people with disabilities feel inferior and discouraged. However, they live it all patiently, they still live their lives as they should.

We can imagine how hard their struggle is, their patience in facing the test as a disabled person, of course not everyone is able to live it. For that, we have to take a lot of motivation from people with disabilities, so that we are more patient in dealing with the problems we experience.

4. Live life optimistically

Did you know that in the midst of the limitations that people with disabilities have, they are still optimistic about life even though it looks not easy, but people with disabilities are able to accept reality and remain optimistic about living their lives with enthusiasm.

With all the limitations they have, people with disabilities are still able to carry out various kinds of activities such as working and working to fulfill their responsibilities and earn an income.

Optimism for people with disabilities in living our lives should be our motivation in life, so that we don’t give up easily in facing the various kinds of tests that come in life. And don’t forget to always be grateful for the physical perfection that God has given us.

5. Stay happiness in the midst of limitations

What do you think when you have seen people with disabilities? Yes, maybe you think that it is not easy if you are in their position, or maybe you think that you will not be able to survive in the midst of that limitation.

But you must know that those with disabilities have various ways to be able to keep smiling happily even though they know that they are not as fortunate as other people who are born with perfect physiques.

If they are only able to be happy in the midst of their limitations, then what other reasons make you sad, complaining, and restless? When you feel life is difficult, then keep up the spirit.

Be grateful for the physical perfection you have, with gratitude your life will be happier, because happiness comes from yourself.

So, those are some life motivations that you can take from people with disabilities, don’t forget to always apply that motivation. ^^