daniel chigunwe
Lovemore Dube
LEGENDARY Paralympian Elliot Mujaji said the dawn of independence in Zimbabwe lifted the profile of sport for people with disabilities.
Mujaji said before independence people, who had disabilities, did not have the privilege they are now enjoying of partaking in international sport. He said sport was recreational or for physiotherapy with no one aware of the vast opportunities at their disposal.
Mujaji commended the Government of Zimbabwe through the ministries of education and sport for ensuring that sporting opportunities were availed to a wider audience through investment in facilities, human capital and creating an environment for international relationships with sports mother bodies.
“I celebrate independence of the country with many in my predicament, which is living with a disability. Soon after independence there was deliberate focus as well to ensure those who love sport among those with disabilities are availed opportunities too. People who previously had no idea arose to participating in the annual Danhiko Games, every institution for people with disabilities, aspired to see its members getting opportunities to try this and that,” said Mujaji.
He admitted that while his exploits received broader media appeal because athletics is more popular than bowling for those with visual impairment, it was Sibanda who had put them on the map.
He said after the exploits of Commonwealth title winning Connie Sibanda in the 1980s, the nation was awakened to self-worth of Paralympians.
“Hats off to Sibanda who, soon after independence, led the way for sports for people with disabilities,” said Mujaji.
An independent Zimbabwe awakened to the fact that sport could be another career pathway for people living with disabilities far from academics and practical jobs.
Mujaji, a two-time Olympic champion, a World Paralympic gold medallist and African champion, said Sibanda’s pioneering role in the 1980s had done well to raise awareness in the country.
“She was our pioneer. The nation back then did not know there were international competitions of such nature. She proved a good ambassador for Paralympians sports,” said Mujaji. Mujaji did not start off as an athlete with a disability. He had no physical defect until 1998 when an work incident resulted in the amputation of his hand.
Eager to continue running, through the support of the Government sport regulating body, the Sport and Recreation Commission and Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, he was able to go back to sport after recovering from the accident that saw him spend over two months in a coma at hospital.
In his first major international competition in 2000, the Sydney Paralympics, Zimbabweans were shocked to learn one morning that a member of the delegation had won gold in Australia.
The victory did wonders for sport for people with disabilities. The Olympics and Paralympics are the biggest sporting gatherings in the world, the dream of every athlete to participate in.
Mujaji among the country’s most successful Paralympians and won gold at the Sydney Paralympics in the 100m and followed it up with another in Athens, Greece in 2004.
In between he won gold and silver in the 2002 World Paralympic Championships setting a record that stands to this date in the 200m of 21.88 seconds. He won silver in the 100m
He was in blistering form the following year at the Abuja 2003 All-Africa Games where he netted two gold medals for Zimbabwe in his preferred events the 100 and 200m sprints.
Prior to his injury in 1998, Mujaji had been one of the country’s top 200, 400m and relays athletes.
Today people living with disabilities are partaking in a number of international events such as wheelchair tennis, marathons, powerlifting and badminton and making a living through earnings on tours.
Online Reporter