Saturday, November 17, 2007The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Yim Vanna contemplated suicide after a land mine blew off his leg. But then something came along that gave him hope and a sense of self-worth — volleyball.
Today, the 5-foot-2 (1.6-meter) athlete is the captain of Cambodia's 12-man national disability volleyball squad, determined to jump for gold at a special World Cup in Cambodia this month. He is one of thousands of land mine victims in Cambodia, including seven of his teammates.
"We see the tragedy of the land mines, but now we also see this beautiful irony that it's the land mine survivors who are leading the country's disability sporting development," says Chris Minko, secretary-general of the Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled), a nonprofit organization developing sports for the handicapped.
Although the country's three decades of war ended eight years ago, an estimated 4 million to 6 million land mines and other unexploded ordnance remain. The weapons killed or injured at least 418 people last year alone.
Se Pha, now 26, lost his left leg when he was 15 years old. He stepped on a land mine while herding cattle in a rice field.
"I woke up in a hospital. Some people in the village later used to make jokes about me. I became disheartened with myself," he says.
"But now I feel as normal and capable as anybody else thanks to volleyball," says Se Pha, who works as a motorcycle taxi driver in Battambang province, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) northwest of the capital, Phnom Penh.
Yim Vanna, who lost his right leg after stepping on a land mine in 1987, recalls his mother-in-law's reaction — not uncommon in a country where there is lack of care, and sometimes even sympathy, for the maimed.
"She even tried to convince my wife to leave me because she believed I had become worthless and had no future," says the 40-year-old former government soldier, a father of four and also a motorcycle taxi driver. His outlet is volleyball.
The event from Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 coincides with Cambodia's signing of the Ottawa treaty banning land mines 10 years ago, which the United States, China and Russia have yet to ratify. The Cambodian team will play against others from seven countries for a trophy with a ball riveted between two bent AK-47 rifle barrels.
The Cambodian volleyballers finished in 4th place at the 2004 and 2005 World Cups — an inspiring record and better than Cambodia's able-bodied athletes normally do at international sports events. Their prowess is even more striking because Cambodian players, unlike many in the West, don't have specially designed prosthetic legs that cushion impact on the stumps and increase speed.
To harden his men against the pain, coach Christian Zepp recently showed them Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky IV" movie, in which hero Rocky Balboa makes grueling preparations before fighting his seemingly superior Russian rival.
"We have to fight during every training session," Zepp told his team. "I'm pretty sure every one of you will give 100 or 200 percent."
__
On the Net: Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled)
http://www.standupcambodia.org/
Today, the 5-foot-2 (1.6-meter) athlete is the captain of Cambodia's 12-man national disability volleyball squad, determined to jump for gold at a special World Cup in Cambodia this month. He is one of thousands of land mine victims in Cambodia, including seven of his teammates.
"We see the tragedy of the land mines, but now we also see this beautiful irony that it's the land mine survivors who are leading the country's disability sporting development," says Chris Minko, secretary-general of the Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled), a nonprofit organization developing sports for the handicapped.
Although the country's three decades of war ended eight years ago, an estimated 4 million to 6 million land mines and other unexploded ordnance remain. The weapons killed or injured at least 418 people last year alone.
Se Pha, now 26, lost his left leg when he was 15 years old. He stepped on a land mine while herding cattle in a rice field.
"I woke up in a hospital. Some people in the village later used to make jokes about me. I became disheartened with myself," he says.
"But now I feel as normal and capable as anybody else thanks to volleyball," says Se Pha, who works as a motorcycle taxi driver in Battambang province, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) northwest of the capital, Phnom Penh.
Yim Vanna, who lost his right leg after stepping on a land mine in 1987, recalls his mother-in-law's reaction — not uncommon in a country where there is lack of care, and sometimes even sympathy, for the maimed.
"She even tried to convince my wife to leave me because she believed I had become worthless and had no future," says the 40-year-old former government soldier, a father of four and also a motorcycle taxi driver. His outlet is volleyball.
The event from Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 coincides with Cambodia's signing of the Ottawa treaty banning land mines 10 years ago, which the United States, China and Russia have yet to ratify. The Cambodian team will play against others from seven countries for a trophy with a ball riveted between two bent AK-47 rifle barrels.
The Cambodian volleyballers finished in 4th place at the 2004 and 2005 World Cups — an inspiring record and better than Cambodia's able-bodied athletes normally do at international sports events. Their prowess is even more striking because Cambodian players, unlike many in the West, don't have specially designed prosthetic legs that cushion impact on the stumps and increase speed.
To harden his men against the pain, coach Christian Zepp recently showed them Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky IV" movie, in which hero Rocky Balboa makes grueling preparations before fighting his seemingly superior Russian rival.
"We have to fight during every training session," Zepp told his team. "I'm pretty sure every one of you will give 100 or 200 percent."
__
On the Net: Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled)
http://www.standupcambodia.org/
1 comment:
Good luck!!! We are proud of you!!!
Post a Comment