Egypt's "Cool Runnings" Special Olympians train for snowshoeing, on sand

Record ID: 903753

  • Title: Egypt's "Cool Runnings" Special Olympians train for snowshoeing, on sand
  • Date: 20th July 2017
  • Summary: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (JULY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) WAVES BREAKING ON ALEXANDRIA BEACH FISHING BOAT ON WATER SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES WITH COACH TRAINING ON THE BEACH SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE, ESRAA GAMAL FATHY ABDELRAHIM, RUNNING SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE, ALAA ABDELAZIZ, RUNNING ON BEACH SNOW SHOES BEING BUCKLED COACH, FATMA ISMAIL, HELPING SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE WITH SNOW SHOES SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES WALKING WEARING SNOW SHOES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPECIAL OLYMPICS COACH, FATMA ISMAIL, SAYING: "When we were preparing the trip to Austria our training would take place in a similar environment to the one in which we would be competing. As you know, we were going to compete in snowshoeing in Austria which involves running on snow. And in Egypt, we don't have snow so we were preparing by training on sand as a substitute." VARIOUS OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS COACH HELPING SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE WITH SNOW SHOES SPECIAL OLYMPICS COACH LEADING THE TWO SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES THROUGH STRETCHES SPECIAL OLYMPICS COACH AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES ON BEACH VARIOUS OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPECIAL OLYMPICS COACH, FATMA ISMAIL, SAYING: "Our training continues throughout the year. If we are not preparing for winter sports, then we are preparing for summer sports. If we are competing for neither then we continue to train them because we are concerned with their fitness. The benefit of the Special Olympics is not only a health tool but also helps those who participate feel that they are integrated in the community and promotes their personal self-worth. They are able to feel that they can contribute to the community in any way." VIEW OF ALEXANDRIA BEACH SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE, ALAA ABDELAZIZ MAHMOUD, WEARING MEDALS SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES TRAINING ON THE BEACH SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES FEET AS THEY RUN ON SAND SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES TRAINING SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE, ESRAA GAMAL FATHY ABDELRAHIM COACH PUTTING MEDALS ONTO ATHLETES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALAA'S MOTHER, GIHAN HOSNY, SAYING: "When she was a little child, she began to be involved with the Zamalek Sporting Club, and took part in special needs races there. She was always training; she trained in swimming, strength and running. She was good at strength training and had the ability to run a lot. She was always training and entered many competitions. So thank God." ALAA ABDELAZIZ MAHMOUD SMILING VARIOUS OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES TRAINING ON THE BEACH FISHERMAN PLACING FISHING NETS IN SEA ATHLETES POSING WITH MEDALS
  • Embargoed: 3rd August 2017 11:27
  • Keywords: Special Olympics learning disabilities Alexandria Egypt
  • Location: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
  • City: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016QIRO0L
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:For Egypt's Special Olympics athletes, a lack of snow in their homeland did not stop them winning medals at this year's Winter Games. They trained on a surface that Egypt has plenty of: sand.
    The four-member snowshoe team of two men and two women with learning disabilities had never seen snow before arriving in Austria for the tournament, but they were prepared: winning gold in the relay as well as individual medals.
    They trained for two months by strapping on snowshoes and running across the sandy beaches of Alexandria, on Egypt's Mediterranean coast.
    A training regime they have kept up since the 2017 World Winter Games which brought together 2,700 competitors from 107 nations in March.
    "We were going to compete in snowshoeing in Austria which involves running on snow. And in Egypt, we don't have snow so we were preparing by training on sand as a substitute," said coach Fatma Ismail.
    "Our training continues throughout the year. If we are not preparing for winter sports, then we are preparing for summer sports," she said as two member of the team, Esraa Gamal Fathy Abdelrahim and Alaa Abdelaziz Mahmoud snowshoed along the beach.
    "The benefit of the Special Olympics is not only a health tool but also helps those who participate feel that they are integrated in the community and promotes their personal self worth."
    Egypt sent 20 athletes to the Games to compete in snowshoeing and floor hockey, selecting them from local track and field competitions for the disabled.
    Alaa's mother, Gihan Hosny, is proud of her daughter who began running in a local sports club.
    She was always training; she trained in swimming, strength and running. She was good at strength training and had the ability to run a lot. She was always training and entered many competitions. So thank God," she said.
    The Egyptian team now has its eyes on the 2019 World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register