Basketball Paralympians

United World College of South East Asia was very fortunate to host the South African and British basketball Paralympians in 2008. The teams competed in a five game series as a part of their preparations for the Beijing Paralympics. It was an exciting and joyous occasion where the whole community was invited to watch the games. The week of August 26th was an eventful week full of basketball, autographs and interviews.

The Paralympics is a major sporting event for mentally, physically and sensorial disabled persons. The original idea came from Dr. Ludwig Guttmann in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London for the British World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries. The Games were held in London again in 1952, but this time the Dutch veterans joined alongside the British. Soon the first official Paralympics was held in Rome in 1960, no longer open to just war veterans but to the rest of the world.

Although the Paralympics are defined as sports for the 'handicapped', the intensity and spirit of the competitors match those of any other major sporting events. Watching these amazing athletes fighting and playing for their country lifted and inspired many of us. The word Paralympics is derived from a combination of the Greek word "para" meaning besides or alongside and the words Olympics.

It was my greatest pleasure to interview two of these marvelous athletes from the South African team during their visit to Singapore.

"Remember, where love is a will, there is a way" is the exact sentiment of Grant Waites. Playing for almost 20 years, Grant was born on March 13th 1973 and was introduced to the game of wheelchair basketball at school. Grant suffered the loss of both of his legs in a house fire at the tender age of 16. Waites' first exposure to this incredible game was at school in 1990 at the age of 17. His first Paralympic experience was in Sydney 2000, eight years ago. With regards to the Beijing Paralympics, Grant stated, "Singapore has been a useful preparation because it has shown where our team weaknesses lie and which parts we need to work on. It has also brought us closer as a team." Grant, being one of the senior players, has known some of his team-mates for a long time, some for more than a decade.

Grant Waites is an IT professional. During his spare time he likes to watch movies, relax and spend a lot of time with his family. Dave Venter, his hero, inspired him to carry on with wheelchair basketball.

"My hero is Michael Jordan and he inspires me because he never gives up and he always works hard at whatever he does," Thandile Zonke tells me. A computer programmer by profession, basketball is Zonke's dream and passion.

At the age of 26 and after playing for 8 years of wheelchair basketball, this was to be Thandile's first Paralympics. When he was a young child he was hit by a car while standing on the pavement. He was introduced by a lady in a sports club for the disabled. It was in this club that he first experienced wheelchair basketball.

Zonke admitted that Singapore had been an excellent for preparation for the big competition and he loved the people, hospitality and weather! Besides basketball, Thandile also loves to play table tennis, watch movies and listen to music. Being one of the junior players, Zonke has known a few players for 5 years and some for a bit longer. His hope for the future is to do as well as they can in the Paralympics.

"The most important event was when our team won the All-Africa games and qualified for the Paralympics," stated Thandile. "I would also like to thank all the organizers and the school for the lovely time we had here in Singapore!"

We all wish Grant and Zonke good luck in the games. They indeed represent the triumph of the human spirit over all odds and provide inspiration for rest of us.