"Mental Retardation" Must be Given Opportunity

As many as 230 people with disabilities showing tremendous spirit at athletic Cup finals in Field BPOC KONI-East Java, Indonesia. They proved themselves capable of achievement in sport.

Indra who was 13 years old, winner of the race run 50 meters with visual impairments, completing the track in 11.85 seconds. Students YPAB Surabaya is led from the whistle sounded and managed to run straight without getting out of line. Despite the fact he was afraid, but he believes it and ran as fast as possible.

Kaspin 13-year-old, who was in the rear position, also show sincerity to arrive at the finish. Students who experience this total blindness came last with a time 16.03 seconds.


The event, held at 08.00 since it equalize the number ran a distance of 50 meters and 100 meters, javelin throwing, discus throwing, starting the bullet, and long jump.

Struggle hard to look experienced blind people who follow the javelin throw. They trouble plugging javelin. In fact, one participant actually threw the javelin to the rear.

Nevertheless, the participants from 45 special schools in Surabaya is completed all match. It is beyond the shadow of all committees. They are capable of if given the opportunity, even for javelin throwing which include exercise difficult.

From the starting number of bullets, participants with multiple disabilities also seeks maximum mastery of technique, although not optimally. Supervising students from SMPLB "Karya Asih" says exercise becomes part of the lesson in school. Athletic sports of interest including children. It is not maximized, but that surely will continue to be trained better.

In addition to athletics, chess and table tennis also competed. However, athletics is projected to be excellent sport.

From this event, special sports coaches associations of people with disabilities will see anyone who is potentially in athletics. They will be joined in puslatcab and trained intensively.

BPOC Cup-KONI, Kasmin continued, can be a container to filter the seeds athletes to the National Disabled Students Sports Week and National Disability Sports Week.

First time

Cup is followed participants blind, mute, multiple disabilities, autism, and mental retardation. Although rolling every year, new this year also included persons with mental retardation participated.

According to event coordinator, Warno, a total of nine participants mental retardation following this event. he wanted to provide opportunities for them, because they generally do not have a sports competition. In fact, they also need opportunities.

One of the national event for the disabled national level, Special Olympics Indonesia, also is not giving enough attention to people with mental retardation.

Therefore, in this event, all the numbers provide opportunities for participants of mental retardation. Sports for the disabled, can also be intended to reach the best performance