Para Games athlete runs with a smile
Training for a sport can sometimes be a drag, even for professionals.
However, you can always find a beaming smile when national track and field para-athlete Suhairi Suhani takes to the track.
The cheerful 18-year-old, who will represent Singapore in the 400m sprint and long jump events at the 8th Asean Para Games, loves nothing more than powering past competing runners or pushing to beat his own time.
Even though Suhairi looks like a typical 18-year-old, he suffers from an intellectual impairment brought about by a high fever and fits when he was just a year old.
When he had difficulty keeping up with his peers in Primary 1, his family was advised to enrol him at a school run by the Association for Persons with Special Needs.
Now a student at Delta Senior School, the Usain Bolt fan is eager to do his best for his country as he competes in the T20 category for intellectually disabled athletes.
Suhairi, who competed at the last Asean Para Games in 2014 in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, said: "This year is on home ground and hopefully there will be a big crowd of Singaporeans.
"I'm a bit nervous but very excited that Singapore is hosting the Asean Para Games for the first time.
"All I need to do is do my best and compete with a smile on my face.
"Hopefully, I can make it to the podium. I don't care if it's a gold medal – any colour will do."
WHAT:
8th Asean Para Games Athletics
WHERE:
National Stadium
WHEN:
Dec 4 to 9
Get the full Asean Para Games athletics schedule here.
Catch the track and field action on Toggle and on the Sports Singapore YouTube channel.
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