Mohammed Selim Reza, a 17-year-old boy with a shorter leg has finished fourth in the 32nd National Junior Athletic Championship against able-bodied competitors in high jump…writes Farhat Afzal
A teenaged boy trains in the scorching heat of the summer sun in the remote village of Chilmari in Kushtia. His legs keep slipping because of a myriad of reasons. Firstly, the field he trains on is full of sand. Secondly, he has no guidance from any professional trainer. The third reason might seem the biggest obstacle he was supposed to face, but it is not. He was born with a defective leg.
17-year-old Mohammed Selim Reza does not identify himself as a physically challenged individual. Despite being born with a right leg that is shorter than the left, the enthusiastic youth hailing from Kushtia does not want to be defined by his physical limitation. Instead, he uses it as a motivating factor to train harder. On May 27, the talented individual took part in the high jump event of the 32nd National Junior Athletics Championship at Bangabandhu National Stadium. Because of his strong will and determination, he was able to compete with his able-bodied peers, despite his handicap.
A student of class eight, Selim started taking interest in sports sometime around the age of 10. He enjoyed playing cricket at that age. A few years later, in 2013, he decided to try out for a sporting event, organised by his school, Chilmari Abdul Jabbar Hazi Pandab Ali High School. He booked the first position in high jump by representing the Khulna division. That same year, he took part in another event organised by Jahangirnagar University, and again secured the first position while representing Dhaka division. His winning streak continued, when he won gold medals twice for competing at the Inter School competition in the years 2014 and 2015, in Mymensingh and Rajshahi, respectively.
Feeling deeply motivated by his continuous success, a hopeful Selim approached the Kushtia Sports Association and urged them to let him compete on national level. Unfortunately he was refused, and his physical limitation was mentioned as the reason for the refusal. ‘I was deeply heartbroken and demotivated after hearing them say no,’ confesses Selim mournfully. A close friend of his saw how devastated he was and decided to approach the coach for the Narail team, Dilip Chakraborty. ‘Dilip sir already had my number, so he later contacted me and promised to take me to Dhaka,’ Selim happily recalls.
It was Dilip Chakraborty who bore all the costs for transport, accommodation and training for the newly inspired Selim. ‘He asked me to come over a month before the event. I stayed at his house and trained with him during the whole time,’ Selim says. All that training paid off because not only did he participate at the National Junior Athletic Championship, but the Daulatpur upazila native finished fourth, at 1.6 metres. He was just 0.15 metres shy from being the bronze medal winner in a competition against his able-bodied competitors.
‘I owe everything to Dilip sir. He took a chance on me when even the people of my own district refused to believe in me,’ Selim says. He also adds that the Narail team coach was deeply moved by his enthusiasm and the fact that he did not let his physical shortcoming deter him from trying harder. As a matter of fact, Dilip is so optimistic about Selim that he wishes for the athlete to be at the Special Olympics World Games, the international sporting competition for athletes with disabilities.
No one wants to give you opportunities if you are poor,’ Selim says dejectedly. However, he brightens up in the next instant. ‘Dilip sir not only chose to put his faith in me but he is also providing everything that is necessary to prepare me for the Special Olympics. He wants me to start training right after Eid-ul-Fitr,’ he adds excitedly.
Selim says he always had the endless support from his family and neighbours regarding his interest in sports. However, he did face some discouragement from the elders in his village. ‘They told me to forget about sports and focus on my studies. They believed partaking in sports would lead me nowhere in life. I told them I would prove them wrong someday,’ he says confidently. But now things have changed, especially after he became gold medalist twice at the Inter School competition. Now he gets support even from those who discouraged him at first. But probably that does not matter. For when has he ever let outside influences dictate his life?
Being brought up in a remote village, Selim had little exposure to international athletes or sporting events. However, one day in 2009, Selim came across a picture of the South African Paralympic champion, Oscar Pistorius, who had both his legs amputated below the knee when he was just 11 months old. Selim was deeply moved by the picture that showed the athlete, often called the ‘Blade Runner’ by the media, running on carbon fibre prosthetics. ‘After seeing that picture, I looked down at my own legs and was filled with gratitude. If that man can compete and win with steel legs, why cannot I do the same with legs made of flesh and bones?’ Selim wondered.
When asked if he wanted to compete in events for able-bodied athletes or those for physically challenged ones, Selim seemed undecided. ‘If I have enough practice, then I believe I can compete with able-bodied athletes.’ For now, he is gearing up for his training for the Special Olympics.
Selim’s biggest dream is to represent Bangladesh at an international level. ‘If luck favours me and if I have enough support, I believe I can win a gold medal for our country at the Special Olympics,’ he says with sureness.