New Delhi: While the Tokyo Olympic Games-bound Indian sportspersons are putting the final touches to their preparations, those who have qualified for the Paralympic Games are also in advanced stage in preparations.
The Paralympic Games will be held from August 24 to September 5 in Tokyo.
A third set of Indian sportspersons too has started its training for the multi-discipline sports extravaganza -- they are the Special Olympics athletes gearing up for the Special Olympics World Winter Games, to be held from January 22 to 28 in Kazan, Russia.
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In all, 65 athletes including 13 female and 14 male from 15 states attended the floorball national coaching camp at YMCA, to hone their skills for the upcoming event. The camp, executed with the Covid-19 protocols advised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, concluded on Friday.
The daily schedule of the camp covered warm-ups, skill-based practices covering all five skills (dribbling, passing, receiving, flip and shoot) and competition tactics and practice.
The camp simultaneously held medical screenings across eye care (called Opening Eyes) and the Dental condition (Special Smiles) of the participating athletes.
Floorball is a versatile indoor team sport developed in the 1970s in Sweden, played in a rink with five field players plus a goalkeeper in each team. For Special Olympics the game is slightly modified from the "regular" form of Floorbal
Additionally, the athletes and coaches attended sessions that address physical and mental fitness practicing through yoga, meditation and the different exercise-based activities led by experts in the respective fields.
Special Olympics is a competition for people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, it promotes itself is an inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics has touched the lives of more than 1.7 million athletes across 35 countries.