While the 1.75 km run is not a competitive run but to boost the spirit of the differently-abled
While several participated to compete in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, 433 participants were a part of the 'Disability Run'. While the 1.75 km run is not a competitive run but to boost the spirit of the differently-abled. However, competitive participants said that they would love to compete against each other next year.
Satyaprakash Tiwari (50) has been participating in the Mumbai Marathon for the past 14 years. He has won 16 international medals and over 100 national medals in events for the disabled including for the Asian Paralympic Badminton Cup, Indo-Russian International Sports and the Belgium Open Championship.
Tiwari who participates to spread awareness for the disabled said, "We are extremely happy that we too are given a platform to participate. My motive is to inspire others and to not let our disability be a reason of sorrow. However, we really wish that the marathon be competitive for the wheelchair bound as well. We would request the organisers to make it a competitive one for us next year."
While Manoj Khaira who has been participating for the past 13 years said, "The marathon is a good platform for us, it has got us a lot of recognition. I have won several medals in swimming and I am a trainer as well. For the marathon too, we wish that we can compete among each other. Only then people will start participating in large numbers and professionally. Besides, the government should take several measures for para sports and marathon runs should be one of them."
Nisha Gupta who has been wheelchair bound for 12 years has participated in the marathon for the past eight years. Speaking about her practice regimen before the marathon she says, "Just so that I can push my wheelchair faster, I have been practicing since a month; an hour each day. We too, just like others practice and train ourselves to participate in the marathon. It is an over-whelming feeling when we are on the path and several people are cheering for us, but we want them to cheer not for the sake our of joy but to motivate us to win as well. We want those who are wheelchair bound to be motivated and pushed to come out of their houses and lead normal lives!"
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