Malta’s Paralympians hopeful of going to the London games

Three disabled Maltese athletes are determined to overcome the odds to live out their dreams and represent their country at the London Paralympics in summer.

They might not win medals, but they will definitely inspire young people to take up sport

Swimmer John Xuereb, cyclist Noel Agius and runner Darren Fenech are getting the necessary push from Inspire, which together with the Malta Sports Council is restarting the Paralympic movement in Malta in preparation for the Paralympic Games in August.

Mr Xuereb, 24, an undergraduate and wheelchair user, has been swimming since the age of two.

Handcyclist Noel Agius, 34, who has spina bifida, is an accounts clerk, a piano player and avid music lover. Mr Agius, who trains at Inspire three times a week, has handcycled across Sicily raising funds and says the Paralympics are a dream.

Runner Darren Fenech, 26, sales and marketing administrator, trains in the morning, goes to work and is then back at it – every day.

He will be trying to complete the full marathon this year. With an amputated arm, Mr Fenech chuckles “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.

A former First Division football player, he loves long-distance running and said he had always wanted to represent Malta. “Hard work is now paying off.”

Inspire is working on a two-pronged approach: to create the pinnacle of sports for people with physical disabilities, such as the Paralympics, attracting youngsters to take up sport, and to create the structures at a lower level to provide specialist support to national associations.

“They might go to London and not win medals, but they will definitely make Malta proud and inspire young people to take up sport,” Inspire CEO Nathan Farrugia told The Sunday Times.

“The sports council wants to take sports for people with disabilities seriously and is ready to invest in it.”

Mr Farrugia is keen on getting the Paralympic movement going and said the main aim was for people with physical disabilities in Malta to meet national standards.

“We want wheelchair basketball to be held at the Basketball Pavillion; we want wheelchair tennis to be played at Marsa and Vittoriosa; we don’t want to exclude people with physical disabilities although they require specialist support.”

Some events have already materialised, such as Inspire’s competitive Wheelchair Rugby League, whereby people with no disability sit on a wheelchair and play rugby with people with a disability.

“Other than specialist equipment and a slight adaptation, these people are mentally there; they are absolutely fine, can be coached, can learn skills, can become competitive and have potential,” Mr Farrugia said.

Once the Paralympic movement is set up, the next crucial step would be to bring together organisations interested in participating and facilitating people with physical impairments to take part in a particular sport.

“We will teach people how to use a wheelchair, while the associations can teach them how to play basketball in it. We desperately need them to get involved.”

The biggest stumbling block at this point is funding. The movement is being partly funded by the International Paralympic Committee, but more funds are needed to cover other costs.

Mr Farrugia said the government and private enterprise needed to look at this aspect of sport which was sorely underfunded and needed to be given due credit.

“Considering 10 per cent of the population has a disability, one would expect 10 per cent of the investment on sports to go towards sports with a disability.”