Israeli sports team cleans up at Special Olympics

July 7, 2011 - 4:31 PM by David

Sometimes you can just stand back and let the story tell itself.

Israel made itself proud this week when it Special Olympics team came home from the games in Athens with 51 medals, including 17 golds.

“You have proved that something we call a disability is not so cut and dry. There are other ways to display capabilities and give hope to those who suffer, President Shimon Peres said in a call to the team.

The 85-strong group of Jews and Arabs participated in 11 sports, including track and field, aquatics, cycling, tennis, table tennis and bowling. As many as 10 percent of Israeli children have special needs, and many Jewish and Arab families choose to send these youngsters into the general education system, while others
opt for special schools.

The excellence they had demonstrated in the sports arena gave fresh hope to others with mental disabilities who are fighting for acceptance, inclusion and respect, and showed that there are sometimes compensatory factors, said Peres, adding what they had achieved
was not only a personal triumph for each, but proof that with determination and effort many difficulties can be overcome.

The athletes, were evidently thrilled to receive the phone call from Peres, as well as the hero’s welcome they were honored with upon their return home.

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