Do you think swimming is possible if you have a missing arm ? How about 2 arms ? How about both the legs ? How about no arms and no legs ?
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I had one of the most humbling experience in my life earlier this morning when I volunteered for a Disability Swim Meet at Santa Clara Swim Club. The swimmers were at different levels of disability but the spirit and courage in them was truly outstanding, to say the least. Some of the swimmers had a tough time getting in and out of the pool but they were completely independent and highly efficient in the pool. I just couldn’t stop myself from cheering for the swimmers in their last lap. The amazing part was all the swimmers completed their designated distance and there were no disqualifications. I truly enjoyed and was deeply touched watching them having fun and compete with full force. This experience also reminds me of Team Hoyt! |
Check out the complete results here. There were eight American Records and 2 World Records broken at the meet. There were 10 Beijing 2008 Team swimmers and 12 2010 World Championship Team members at the meet. So it was truly a pretty competitive league!
Many thanks to Santa Clara Swim Center for hosting the meet when other swim centers declined to host it, this is a very commendable act. The meet director Marie and Swim Center officials Barbara, Maggy, Mary, and many others were running the show marvelously. Personally speaking, my son has been going to this swim center for about 3 years now and I totally love their coaching style. They provide complete swimming lessons for newbie beginners to all the way highly competitive and master swimmers. Mark Spitz, the swimming sensation at 1972 Munich Olympics sensation who won 7 gold medals there is an alumnus of this club. This school has also produced significant number of Olympic Synchronized Swimmers since the sport was introduced in 1952. The swimmers from the club have earned 71 Olympic medals: 42 Gold, 18 Silver, and 11 Bronze medals during its proud history.
So yes, the swimmers at Disability Meet totally proved that it can be done. A total salute to the swimmers for teaching me a humbling lesson today and many thanks, once again, to the Santa Clara Swim Center for hosting their meet.
Technorati: sports swimming disability meet santaclara swimcenter
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