Jamshedpur: Three footballers of the steel city, including two with multiple disabilities, have made it to the national squad for the Special Olympic World Summer Games to be held in Abu Dhabi from March 14 to 21 next year.
Special footballers Vikram Nayak and Gurucharan Lamey will play in 7-a-side unified matches, while Akash Mukhi will play in 11-a-side ties.
All three won slots in the Indian side on the basis of their performance at two national preparatory camps held in Gurugram (March) and Pilani (June). They will now have to attend another camp in Bhubaneswar from September 1 to 6.
"Vikram, Gurucharan and Akash performed well at the preparatory camps. We are training them under experienced coaches so that they find themselves in good stead in Bhubaneswar and the final camp in Delhi sometime in November-December," said Jharkhand Special Olympics assistant area director Satbir Singh Sahota.
The three remained busy on Wednesday, sweating it out at JRD Tata Sports Complex.
Twenty six-year-old Birsanagar resident Vikram, who is intellectually impaired and deaf and dumb, expressed his happiness at being chosen. Using sign language, he said he would definitely try to win a medal.
Gurucharan (24), also from Birsanagar, is, like Vikram, intellectually impaired and deaf and dumb. He said he enjoyed training and loved football. Both are former students of Asha Kiran at Telco.
Twenty five-year-old Akash, a resident of Dhatkidih, will display his skills under the posts as a goalkeeper. He said he loved the game and would do his best. "I am quite experienced as I turn out for Aruna Samity in the Jamshedpur Sporting Association annual league," he said.
Raj Kumar, the Jharkhand Special Olympics mentor who is guiding Vikram and Gurucharan, explained that there were four special athletes in a 7-a-side unified football team. In 11-a-side competitions, 7 are specials sportsmen.
"Both Vikram and Gurucharan are good footballers. We are preparing them for the upcoming camp in Bhubaneswar. I am sure they will continue to perform and earn laurels for the country in Abu Dhabi," Kumar said.
